Isolated human transporter proteins, nucleic acid molecules encoding human transporter proteins, and uses thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides amino acid sequences of peptides that are encoded by genes within the human genome, the transporter peptides of the present invention. The present invention specifically provides isolated peptide and nucleic acid molecules, methods of identifying orthologs and paralogs of the transporter peptides, and methods of identifying modulators of the transporter peptides.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is in the field of transporter proteins that are related to the sugar transporter subfamily, recombinant DNA molecules, and protein production. The present invention specifically provides novel peptides and proteins that effect ligand transport and nucleic acid molecules encoding such peptide and protein molecules, all of which are useful in the development of human therapeutics and diagnostic compositions and methods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Transporters

[0003] Transporter proteins regulate many different functions of a cell, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and signaling processes, by regulating the flow of molecules such as ions and macromolecules, into and out of cells. Transporters are found in the plasma membranes of virtually every cell in eukaryotic organisms. Transporters mediate a variety of cellular functions including regulation of membrane potentials and absorption and secretion of molecules and ion across cell membranes. When present in intracellular membranes of the Golgi apparatus and endocytic vesicles, transporters, such as chloride channels, also regulate organelle pH. For a review, see Greger, R. (1988) Annu. Rev. Physiol. 50:111-122.

[0004] Transporters are generally classified by structure and the type of mode of action. In addition, transporters are sometimes classified by the molecule type that is transported, for example, sugar transporters, chlorine channels, potassium channels, etc. There may be many classes of channels for transporting a single type of molecule (a detailed review of channel types can be found at Alexander, S. P. H. and J. A. Peters: Receptor and transporter nomenclature supplement. Trends Pharmacol. Sci., Elsevier, pp. 65-68 (1997) and http://www-biology.ucsd.edu/˜msaier/transport/titlepage2.html.

[0005] The following general classification scheme is known in the art and is followed in the present discoveries.

[0006] Channel-type transporters. Transmembrane channel proteins of this class are ubiquitously found in the membranes of all types of organisms from bacteria to higher eukaryotes. Transport systems of this type catalyze facilitated diffusion (by an energy-independent process) by passage through a transmembrane aqueous pore or channel without evidence for a carrier-mediated mechanism. These channel proteins usually consist largely of a-helical spanners, although b-strands may also be present and may even comprise the channel. However, outer membrane porin-type channel proteins are excluded from this class and are instead included in class 9.

[0007] Carrier-type transporters. Transport systems are included in this class if they utilize a carrier-mediated process to catalyze uniport (a single species is transported by facilitated diffusion), antiport (two or more species are transported in opposite directions in a tightly coupled process, not coupled to a direct form of energy other than chemiosmotic energy) and/or symport (two or more species are transported together in the same direction in a tightly coupled process, not coupled to a direct form of energy other than chemiosmotic energy).

[0008] Pyrophosphate bond hydrolysis-driven active transporters. Transport systems are included in this class if they hydrolyze pyrophosphate or the terminal pyrophosphate bond in ATP or another nucleoside triphosphate to drive the active uptake and/or extrusion of a solute or solutes. The transport protein may or may not be transiently phosphorylated, but the substrate is not phosphorylated.

[0009] PEP-dependent, phosphoryl transfer-driven group translocators. Transport systems of the bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system are included in this class. The product of the reaction, derived from extracellular sugar, is a cytoplasmic sugar-phosphate.

[0010] Decarboxylation-driven active transporters. Transport systems that drive solute (e.g., ion) uptake or extrusion by decarboxylation of a cytoplasmic substrate are included in this class.

[0011] Oxidoreduction-driven active transporters. Transport systems that drive transport of a solute (e.g., an ion) energized by the flow of electrons from a reduced substrate to an oxidized substrate are included in this class.

[0012] Light-driven active transporters. Transport systems that utilize light energy to drive transport of a solute (e.g., an ion) are included in this class.

[0013] Mechanically-driven active transporters. Transport systems are included in this class if they drive movement of a cell or organelle by allowing the flow of ions (or other solutes) through the membrane down their electrochemical gradients.

[0014] Outer-membrane porins (of b-structure). These proteins form transmembrane pores or channels that usually allow the energy independent passage of solutes across a membrane. The transmembrane portions of these proteins consist exclusively of b-strands that form a b-barrel. These porin-type proteins are found in the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria and eukaryotic plastids.

[0015] Methyltransferase-driven active transporters. A single characterized protein currently falls into this category, the Na+-transporting methyltetrahydromethanopterin:coenzyme M methyltransferase.

[0016] Non-ribosome-synthesized channel-forming peptides or peptide-like molecules. These molecules, usually chains of L- and D-amino acids as well as other small molecular building blocks such as lactate, form oligomeric transmembrane ion channels. Voltage may induce channel formation by promoting assembly of the transmembrane channel. These peptides are often made by bacteria and fungi as agents of biological warfare.

[0017] Non-Proteinaceous Transport Complexes. Ion conducting substances in biological membranes that do not consist of or are not derived from proteins or peptides fall into this category.

[0018] Functionally characterized transporters for which sequence data are lacking. Transporters of particular physiological significance will be included in this category even though a family assignment cannot be made.

[0019] Putative transporters in which no family member is an established transporter. Putative transport protein families are grouped under this number and will either be classified elsewhere when the transport function of a member becomes established, or will be eliminated from the TC classification system if the proposed transport function is disproven. These families include a member or members for which a transport function has been suggested, but evidence for such a function is not yet compelling.

[0020] Auxiliary transport proteins. Proteins that in some way facilitate transport across one or more biological membranes but do not themselves participate directly in transport are included in this class. These proteins always function in conjunction with one or more transport proteins. They may provide a function connected with energy coupling to transport, play a structural role in complex formation or serve a regulatory function.

[0021] Transporters of unknown classification. Transport protein families of unknown classification are grouped under this number and will be classified elsewhere when the transport process and energy coupling mechanism are characterized. These families include at least one member for which a transport function has been established, but either the mode of transport or the energy coupling mechanism is not known.

[0022] Ion Channels

[0023] An important type of transporter is the ion channel. Ion channels regulate many different cell proliferation, differentiation, and signaling processes by regulating the flow of ions into and out of cells. Ion channels are found in the plasma membranes of virtually every cell in eukaryotic organisms. Ion channels mediate a variety of cellular functions including regulation of membrane potentials and absorption and secretion of ion across epithelial membranes. When present in intracellular membranes of the Golgi apparatus and endocytic vesicles, ion channels, such as chloride channels, also regulate organelle pH. For a review, see Greger, R. (1988) Annu. Rev. Physiol. 50:111-122.

[0024] Ion channels are generally classified by structure and the type of mode of action. For example, extracellular ligand gated channels (ELGs) are comprised of five polypeptide subunits, with each subunit having 4 membrane spanning domains, and are activated by the binding of an extracellular ligand to the channel. In addition, channels are sometimes classified by the ion type that is transported, for example, chlorine channels, potassium channels, etc. There may be many classes of channels for transporting a single type of ion (a detailed review of channel types can be found at Alexander, S. P. H. and J. A. Peters (1997). Receptor and ion channel nomenclature supplement. Trends Pharmacol. Sci., Elsevier, pp. 65-68 and http://www-biology.ucsd.edu/˜msaier/transport/toc.html.

[0025] There are many types of ion channels based on structure. For example, many ion channels fall within one of the following groups: extracellular ligand-gated channels (ELG), intracellular ligand-gated channels (ILG), inward rectifying channels (INR), intercellular (gap junction) channels, and voltage gated channels (VIC). There are additionally recognized other channel families based on ion-type transported, cellular location and drug sensitivity. Detailed information on each of these, their activity, ligand type, ion type, disease association, drugability, and other information pertinent to the present invention, is well known in the art.

[0026] Extracellular ligand-gated channels, ELGs, are generally comprised of five polypeptide subunits, Unwin, N. (1993), Cell 72: 31-41; Unwin, N. (1995), Nature 373: 37-43; Hucho, F., et al., (1996) J. Neurochem. 66: 1781-1792; Hucho, F., et al., (1996) Eur. J. Biochem. 239: 539-557; Alexander, S. P. H. and J. A. Peters (1997), Trends Pharmacol. Sci., Elsevier, pp. 4-6; 36-40; 42-44; and Xue, H. (1998) J. Mol. Evol. 47: 323-333. Each subunit has 4 membrane spanning regions: this serves as a means of identifying other members of the ELG family of proteins. ELG bind a ligand and in response modulate the flow of ions. Examples of ELG include most members of the neurotransmitter-receptor family of proteins, e.g., GABAI receptors. Other members of this family of ion channels include glycine receptors, ryandyne receptors, and ligand gated calcium channels.

[0027] The Voltage-Gated Ion Channel (VIC) Superfamily

[0028] Proteins of the VIC family are ion-selective channel proteins found in a wide range of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotes Hille, B. (1992), Chapter 9: Structure of channel proteins; Chapter 20: Evolution and diversity. In: Ionic Channels of Excitable Membranes, 2nd Ed., Sinaur Assoc. Inc., Pubs., Sunderland, Mass.; Sigworth, F. J. (1993), Quart. Rev. Biophys. 27: 1-40; Salkoff, L. and T. Jegla (1995), Neuron 15: 489-492; Alexander, S. P. H. et al., (1997), Trends Pharmacol. Sci., Elsevier, pp. 76-84; Jan, L. Y. et al., (1997), Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 20: 91-123; Doyle, D. A, et al., (1998) Science 280: 69-77; Terlau, H. and W. Stühmer. (1998), Naturwissenschaften 85: 437-444. They are often homo- or heterooligomeric structures with several dissimilar subunits (e.g., a1-a2-d-b Ca²⁺ channels, ab₁b₂ Na⁺ channels or (a)₄-b K⁺ channels), but the channel and the primary receptor is usually associated with the a (or al) subunit. Functionally characterized members are specific for K⁺, Na⁺ or Ca²⁺. The K⁺ channels usually consist of homotetrameric structures with each a-subunit possessing six transmembrane spanners (TMSs). The al and a subunits of the Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ channels, respectively, are about four times as large and possess 4 units, each with 6 TMSs separated by a hydrophilic loop, for a total of 24 TMSs. These large channel proteins form heterotetra-unit structures equivalent to the homotetrameric structures of most K⁺ channels. All four units of the Ca²⁺ and Na⁺ channels are homologous to the single unit in the homotetrameric K⁺ channels. Ion flux via the eukaryotic channels is generally controlled by the transmembrane electrical potential (hence the designation, voltage-sensitive) although some are controlled by ligand or receptor binding.

[0029] Several putative K⁺-selective channel proteins of the VIC family have been identified in prokaryotes. The structure of one of them, the KcsA K⁺ channel of Streptomyces lividans, has been solved to 3.2 Å resolution. The protein possesses four identical subunits, each with two transmembrane helices, arranged in the shape of an inverted teepee or cone. The cone cradles the “selectivity filter” P domain in its outer end. The narrow selectivity filter is only 12 Å long, whereas the remainder of the channel is wider and lined with hydrophobic residues. A large water-filled cavity and helix dipoles stabilize K⁺ in the pore. The selectivity filter has two bound K⁺ ions about 7.5 Å apart from each other. Ion conduction is proposed to result from a balance of electrostatic attractive and repulsive forces.

[0030] In eukaryotes, each VIC family channel type has several subtypes based on pharmacological and electrophysiological data. Thus, there are five types of Ca²⁺ channels (L, N, P, Q and T). There are at least ten types of K⁺ channels, each responding in different ways to different stimuli: voltage-sensitive [Ka, Kv, Kvr, Kvs and Ksr], Ca²⁺-sensitive [BK_(Ca), IK_(Ca) and SK_(Ca)] and receptor-coupled [K_(M) and KA_(Ch)]. There are at least six types of Na⁺ channels (I, II, III, μ1, H1 and PN3). Tetrameric channels from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms are known in which each a-subunit possesses 2 TMSs rather than 6, and these two TMSs are homologous to TMSs 5 and 6 of the six TMS unit found in the voltage-sensitive channel proteins. KcsA of S. lividans is an example of such a 2 TMS channel protein. These channels may include the K_(Na) (Na⁺-activated) and K_(Vol) (cell volume-sensitive) K⁺ channels, as well as distantly related channels such as the Tok1 K⁺ channel of yeast, the TWIK-1 inward rectifier K⁺ channel of the mouse and the TREK-1 K⁺ channel of the mouse. Because of insufficient sequence similarity with proteins of the VIC family, inward rectifier K⁺ IRK channels (ATP-regulated; G-protein-activated) which possess a P domain and two flanking TMSs are placed in a distinct family. However, substantial sequence similarity in the P region suggests that they are homologous. The b, g and d subunits of VIC family members, when present, frequently play regulatory roles in channel activation/deactivation.

[0031] The Epithelial Na⁺ Channel (ENaC) Family

[0032] The ENaC family consists of over twenty-four sequenced proteins (Canessa, C. M., et al., (1994), Nature 367: 463-467, Le, T. and M. H. Saier, Jr. (1996), Mol. Membr. Biol. 13: 149-157; Garty, H. and L. G. Palmer (1997), Physiol. Rev. 77: 359-396; Waldmann, R., et al., (1997), Nature 386: 173-177; Darboux, I., et al., (1998), J. Biol. Chem. 273: 9424-9429; Firsov, D., et al., (1998), EMBO J. 17: 344-352; Horisberger, J.-D. (1998). Curr. Opin. Struc. Biol. 10: 443-449). All are from animals with no recognizable homologues in other eukaryotes or bacteria. The vertebrate ENaC proteins from epithelial cells cluster tightly together on the phylogenetic tree: voltage-insensitive ENaC homologues are also found in the brain. Eleven sequenced C. elegans proteins, including the degenerins, are distantly related to the vertebrate proteins as well as to each other. At least some of these proteins form part of a mechano-transducing complex for touch sensitivity. The homologous Helix aspersa (FMRF-amide)-activated Na⁺ channel is the first peptide neurotransmitter-gated ionotropic receptor to be sequenced.

[0033] Protein members of this family all exhibit the same apparent topology, each with N- and C-termini on the inside of the cell, two amphipathic transmembrane spanning segments, and a large extracellular loop. The extracellular domains contain numerous highly conserved cysteine residues. They are proposed to serve a receptor function.

[0034] Mammalian ENaC is important for the maintenance of Na⁺ balance and the regulation of blood pressure. Three homologous ENaC subunits, alpha, beta, and gamma, have been shown to assemble to form the highly Na⁺-selective channel. The stoichiometry of the three subunits is alpha₂, beta₁, gamma1 in a heterotetrameric architecture.

[0035] The Glutamate-Gated Ion Channel (GIC) Family of Neurotransmitter Receptors

[0036] Members of the GIC family are heteropentameric complexes in which each of the 5 subunits is of 800-1000 amino acyl residues in length (Nakanishi, N., et al, (1990), Neuron 5: 569-581; Unwin, N. (1993), Cell 72: 31-41; Alexander, S. P. H. and J. A. Peters (1997) Trends Pharmacol. Sci., Elsevier, pp. 36-40). These subunits may span the membrane three or five times as putative a-helices with the N-termini (the glutamate-binding domains) localized extracellularly and the C-termini localized cytoplasmically. They may be distantly related to the ligand-gated ion channels, and if so, they may possess substantial b-structure in their transmembrane regions. However, homology between these two families cannot be established on the basis of sequence comparisons alone. The subunits fall into six subfamilies: a, b, g, d, e and z.

[0037] The GIC channels are divided into three types: (1) a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA)-, (2) kainate- and (3) N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-selective glutamate receptors. Subunits of the AMPA and kainate classes exhibit 35-40% identity with each other while subunits of the NMDA receptors exhibit 22-24% identity with the former subunits. They possess large N-terminal, extracellular glutamate-binding domains that are homologous to the periplasmic glutamine and glutamate receptors of ABC-type uptake permeases of Gram-negative bacteria. All known members of the GIC family are from animals. The different channel (receptor) types exhibit distinct ion selectivities and conductance properties. The NMDA-selective large conductance channels are highly permeable to monovalent cations and Ca²+. The AMPA- and kainate-selective ion channels are permeable primarily to monovalent cations with only low permeability to Ca²⁺.

[0038] The Chloride Channel (ClC) Family

[0039] The ClC family is a large family consisting of dozens of sequenced proteins derived from Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, cyanobacteria, archaea, yeast, plants and animals (Steinmeyer, K., et al., (1991), Nature 354: 301-304; Uchida, S., et al., (1993), J. Biol. Chem. 268: 3821-3824; Huang, M.-E., et al., (1994), J. Mol. Biol. 242: 595-598; Kawasaki, M., et al, (1994), Neuron 12: 597-604; Fisher, W. E., et al., (1995), Genomics. 29:598-606; and Foskett, J. K. (1998), Annu. Rev. Physiol. 60: 689-717). These proteins are essentially ubiquitous, although they are not encoded within genomes of Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Sequenced proteins vary in size from 395 amino acyl residues (M. jannaschii) to 988 residues (man). Several organisms contain multiple ClC family paralogues. For example, Synechocystis has two paralogues, one of 451 residues in length and the other of 899 residues. Arabidopsis thaliana has at least four sequenced paralogues, (775-792 residues), humans also have at least five paralogues (820-988 residues), and C. elegans also has at least five (810-950 residues). There are nine known members in mammals, and mutations in three of the corresponding genes cause human diseases. E. coli, Methanococcus jannaschii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae only have one ClC family member each. With the exception of the larger Synechocystis paralogue, all bacterial proteins are small (395-492 residues) while all eukaryotic proteins are larger (687-988 residues). These proteins exhibit 10-12 putative transmembrane a-helical spanners (TMSs) and appear to be present in the membrane as homodimers. While one member of the family, Torpedo ClC-O, has been reported to have two channels, one per subunit, others are believed to have just one.

[0040] All functionally characterized members of the ClC family transport chloride, some in a voltage-regulated process. These channels serve a variety of physiological functions (cell volume regulation; membrane potential stabilization; signal transduction; transepithelial transport, etc.). Different homologues in humans exhibit differing anion selectivities, i.e., ClC4 and ClC5 share a NO₃ ⁻>Cl⁻>Br⁻>I⁻ conductance sequence, while ClC3 has an I⁻ >Cl⁻ selectivity. The ClC4 and ClC5 channels and others exhibit outward rectifying currents with currents only at voltages more positive than +20 mV.

[0041] Animal Inward Rectifier K⁺ Channel (IRK-C) Family

[0042] IRK channels possess the “minimal channel-forming structure” with only a P domain, characteristic of the channel proteins of the VIC family, and two flanking transmembrane spanners (Shuck, M. E., et al., (1994), J. Biol. Chem. 269: 24261-24270; Ashen, M. D., et al., (1995), Am. J. Physiol. 268: H506-H511; Salkoff, L. and T. Jegla (1995), Neuron 15: 489-492; Aguilar-Bryan, L., et al., (1998), Physiol. Rev. 78: 227-245; Ruknudin, A., et al., (1998), J. Biol. Chem. 273: 14165-14171). They may exist in the membrane as homo- or heterooligomers. They have a greater tendency to let K⁺ flow into the cell than out. Voltage-dependence may be regulated by external K⁺, by internal Mg²⁺, by internal ATP and/or by G-proteins. The P domains of IRK channels exhibit limited sequence similarity to those of the VIC family, but this sequence similarity is insufficient to establish homology. Inward rectifiers play a role in setting cellular membrane potentials, and the closing of these channels upon depolarization permits the occurrence of long duration action potentials with a plateau phase. Inward rectifiers lack the intrinsic voltage sensing helices found in VIC family channels. In a few cases, those of Kir1.1a and Kir6.2, for example, direct interaction with a member of the ABC superfamily has been proposed to confer unique functional and regulatory properties to the heteromeric complex, including sensitivity to ATP. The SUR1 sulfonylurea receptor (spQ09428) is the ABC protein that regulates the Kir6.2 channel in response to ATP, and CFTR may regulate Kir1.1a. Mutations in SUR1 are the cause of familial persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia in infancy (PHHI), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by unregulated insulin secretion in the pancreas.

[0043] ATP-Gated Cation Channel (ACC) Family

[0044] Members of the ACC family (also called P2X receptors) respond to ATP, a functional neurotransmitter released by exocytosis from many types of neurons (North, R. A. (1996), Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 8: 474-483; Soto, F., M. Garcia-Guzman and W. Stühmer (1997), J. Membr. Biol. 160: 91-100). They have been placed into seven groups (P2X₁-P2X₇) based on their pharmacological properties. These channels, which function at neuron-neuron and neuron-smooth muscle junctions, may play roles in the control of blood pressure and pain sensation. They may also function in lymphocyte and platelet physiology. They are found only in animals.

[0045] The proteins of the ACC family are quite similar in sequence (>35% identity), but they possess 380-1000 amino acyl residues per subunit with variability in length localized primarily to the C-terminal domains. They possess two transmembrane spanners, one about 30-50 residues from their N-termini, the other near residues 320-340. The extracellular receptor domains between these two spanners (of about 270 residues) are well conserved with numerous conserved glycyl and cysteyl residues. The hydrophilic C-termini vary in length from 25 to 240 residues. They resemble the topologically similar epithelial Na⁺ channel (ENaC) proteins in possessing (a) N- and C-termini localized intracellularly, (b) two putative transmembrane spanners, (c) a large extracellular loop domain, and (d) many conserved extracellular cysteyl residues. ACC family members are, however, not demonstrably homologous with them. ACC channels are probably hetero- or homomultimers and transport small monovalent cations (Me⁺). Some also transport Ca²⁺; a few also transport small metabolites.

[0046] The Ryanodine-Inositol 1,4,5-Triphosphate Receptor Ca²⁺ Channel (RIR-CaC) Family

[0047] Ryanodine (Ry)-sensitive and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3)-sensitive Ca²⁺-release channels function in the release of Ca²⁺ from intracellular storage sites in animal cells and thereby regulate various Ca²⁺-dependent physiological processes (Hasan, G. et al., (1992) Development 116: 967-975; Michikawa, T., et al., (1994), J. Biol. Chem. 269: 9184-9189; Tunwell, R. E. A., (1996), Biochem. J. 318: 477-487; Lee, A. G. (1996) Biomembranes, Vol. 6, Transmembrane Receptors and Channels (A. G. Lee, ed.), JAI Press, Denver, Colo., pp 291-326; Mikoshiba, K., et al., (1996) J. Biochem. Biomem. 6: 273-289). Ry receptors occur primarily in muscle cell sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) membranes, and IP3 receptors occur primarily in brain cell endoplasmic reticular (ER) membranes where they effect release of Ca²⁺ into the cytoplasm upon activation (opening) of the channel.

[0048] The Ry receptors are activated as a result of the activity of dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca²⁺ channels. The latter are members of the voltage-sensitive ion channel (VIC) family. Dihydropyridine-sensitive channels are present in the T-tubular systems of muscle tissues.

[0049] Ry receptors are homotetrameric complexes with each subunit exhibiting a molecular size of over 500,000 daltons (about 5,000 amino acyl residues). They possess C-terminal domains with six putative transmembrane a-helical spanners (TMSs). Putative pore-forming sequences occur between the fifth and sixth TMSs as suggested for members of the VIC family. The large N-terminal hydrophilic domains and the small C-terminal hydrophilic domains are localized to the cytoplasm. Low resolution 3-dimensional structural data are available. Mammals possess at least three isoforms that probably arose by gene duplication and divergence before divergence of the mammalian species. Homologues are present in humans and Caenorabditis elegans.

[0050] IP₃ receptors resemble Ry receptors in many respects. (1) They are homotetrameric complexes with each subunit exhibiting a molecular size of over 300,000 daltons (about 2,700 amino acyl residues). (2) They possess C-terminal channel domains that are homologous to those of the Ry receptors. (3) The channel domains possess six putative TMSs and a putative channel lining region between TMSs 5 and 6. (4) Both the large N-terminal domains and the smaller C-terminal tails face the cytoplasm. (5) They possess covalently linked carbohydrate on extracytoplasmic loops of the channel domains. (6) They have three currently recognized isoforms (types 1, 2, and 3) in mammals which are subject to differential regulation and have different tissue distributions.

[0051] IP₃ receptors possess three domains: N-terminal IP₃-binding domains, central coupling or regulatory domains and C-terminal channel domains. Channels are activated by IP₃ binding, and like the Ry receptors, the activities of the IP₃ receptor channels are regulated by phosphorylation of the regulatory domains, catalyzed by various protein kinases. They predominate in the endoplasmic reticular membranes of various cell types in the brain but have also been found in the plasma membranes of some nerve cells derived from a variety of tissues.

[0052] The channel domains of the Ry and IP₃ receptors comprise a coherent family that in spite of apparent structural similarities, do not show appreciable sequence similarity of the proteins of the VIC family. The Ry receptors and the IP₃ receptors cluster separately on the RIR-CaC family tree. They both have homologues in Drosophila. Based on the phylogenetic tree for the family, the family probably evolved in the following sequence: (1) A gene duplication event occurred that gave rise to Ry and IP₃ receptors in invertebrates. (2) Vertebrates evolved from invertebrates. (3) The three isoforms of each receptor arose as a result of two distinct gene duplication events. (4) These isoforms were transmitted to mammals before divergence of the mammalian species.

[0053] The Organellar Chloride Channel (O-ClC) Family

[0054] Proteins of the O-ClC family are voltage-sensitive chloride channels found in intracellular membranes but not the plasma membranes of animal cells (Landry, D, et al., (1993), J. Biol. Chem. 268: 14948-14955; Valenzuela, Set al., (1997), J. Biol. Chem. 272: 12575-12582; and Duncan, R.R., et al., (1997), J. Biol. Chem. 272: 23880-23886).

[0055] They are found in human nuclear membranes, and the bovine protein targets to the microsomes, but not the plasma membrane, when expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. These proteins are thought to function in the regulation of the membrane potential and in transepithelial ion absorption and secretion in the kidney. They possess two putative transmembrane a-helical spanners (TMSS) with cytoplasmic N- and C-termini and a large luminal loop that may be glycosylated. The bovine protein is 437 amino acyl residues in length and has the two putative TMSs at positions 223-239 and 367-385. The human nuclear protein is much smaller (241 residues). A C. elegans homologue is 260 residues long.

[0056] Sugar Transporters

[0057] The novel human protein, and encoding gene, provided by the present invention is related to the family of sugar transporter. The present protein shows the greatest degree of similarity to facilitated glucose transporters (solute carrier family 2). Sugar transporters, such as glucose transporters and fructose transporters, are critical for sugar uptake and utilization. Sugar is critical for the proper functioning of the body. Certain organs/tissues have an especially high requirement for sugars such as glucose and fructose. For example, skeletal muscle, brain, and nerve cells require high levels of glucose. Defective sugar transporter proteins can lead to serious disorders. For example, defective glucose transporters in skeletal muscle, brain, or nerve cells can lead to severe skeletal muscle, brain, or nerve disorders.

[0058] Furthermore, it has been suggested that glucose transporters, particularly the GLUT3 isoform, found at the fetal interface could play a critical role in the transport of glucose from the placenta to the fetus (Hauguel-de Mouzon et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997 August; 82(8):2689-94).

[0059] Novel sugar transporter proteins/genes are useful for numerous important uses such as predicting, diagnosing, preventing, and treating disorders associated with abnormal sugar levels or abnormal sugar uptake/utilization. Such disorders include, for example, diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperinsulinemia. Due to the critical role of sugar transporters in regulating sugar levels and sugar uptake and utilization, such as glucose and fructose utilization, novel human sugar transporter proteins/genes are useful for modulating sugar levels, or for modulating sugar uptake and utilization, such as to reduce sugar levels in hypertriglyceridemia. Such uses may be particularly important for disorders involving cells/tissues/organs with a high sugar requirement, such as muscle, brain, and nerve cells. Novel sugar transporter proteins/genes are also useful for developing pharmaceutical agents for treating such disorders, or for use as novel drug targets. Polymorphisms, such as SNPs, in sugar transporter genes may reduce sugar transport efficiency; such polymorphisms are useful markers for tests to predict or diagnose disorders associated with defective sugar transport.

[0060] For a further review of sugar transporters, see Phay et al., Genomics 66 (2), 217-220 (2000); Carayannopoulos et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 97: 7313-7318, 2000; Doege et al., Biol. Chem. 275: 16275-16280, 2000; Ibbersonet et al., J. Biol. Chem. 275: 4607-4612, 2000; Kayano et al., J Biol Chem Aug. 5, 1990;265(22):13276-82; Mahraoui et al., Biochem J Jul. 1, 1994;301 (Pt 1): 169-75; Gould et al., Biochem J Oct. 15, 1993;295 (Pt 2):329-41; Rand et al., Am J Physiol 1993 June;264(6 Pt 1):G1169-76; and Inukai et al., Endocrinology 1993 November;133(5):2009-14.

[0061] Transporter proteins, particularly members of the sugar transporter subfamily, are a major target for drug action and development. Accordingly, it is valuable to the field of pharmaceutical development to identify and characterize previously unknown transport proteins. The present invention advances the state of the art by providing previously unidentified human transport proteins.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0062] The present invention is based in part on the identification of amino acid sequences of human transporter peptides and proteins that are related to the sugar transporter subfamily, as well as allelic variants and other mammalian orthologs thereof. These unique peptide sequences, and nucleic acid sequences that encode these peptides, can be used as models for the development of human therapeutic targets, aid in the identification of therapeutic proteins, and serve as targets for the development of human therapeutic agents that modulate transporter activity in cells and tissues that express the transporter. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE SHEETS

[0063]FIG. 1 provides the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA molecule that encodes the transporter protein of the present invention. (SEQ ID NO:1) In addition structure and functional information is provided, such as ATG start, stop and tissue distribution, where available, that allows one to readily determine specific uses of inventions based on this molecular sequence. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample.

[0064]FIG. 2 provides the predicted amino acid sequence of the transporter of the present invention. (SEQ ID NO:2) In addition structure and functional information such as protein family, function, and modification sites is provided where available, allowing one to readily determine specific uses of inventions based on this molecular sequence.

[0065]FIG. 3 provides genomic sequences that span the gene encoding the transporter protein of the present invention. (SEQ ID NO:3) In addition structure and functional information, such as intron/exon structure, promoter location, etc., is provided where available, allowing one to readily determine specific uses of inventions based on this molecular sequence. As illustrated in FIG. 3, SNPs were identified at 42 different nucleotide positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0066] General Description

[0067] The present invention is based on the sequencing of the human genome. During the sequencing and assembly of the human genome, analysis of the sequence information revealed previously unidentified fragments of the human genome that encode peptides that share structural and/or sequence homology to protein/peptide/domains identified and characterized within the art as being a transporter protein or part of a transporter protein and are related to the sugar transporter subfamily. Utilizing these sequences, additional genomic sequences were assembled and transcript and/or cDNA sequences were isolated and characterized. Based on this analysis, the present invention provides amino acid sequences of human transporter peptides and proteins that are related to the sugar transporter subfamily, nucleic acid sequences in the form of transcript sequences, cDNA sequences and/or genomic sequences that encode these transporter peptides and proteins, nucleic acid variation (allelic information), tissue distribution of expression, and information about the closest art known protein/peptide/domain that has structural or sequence homology to the transporter of the present invention.

[0068] In addition to being previously unknown, the peptides that are provided in the present invention are selected based on their ability to be used for the development of commercially important products and services. Specifically, the present peptides are selected based on homology and/or structural relatedness to known transporter proteins of the sugar transporter subfamily and the expression pattern observed. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. The art has clearly established the commercial importance of members of this family of proteins and proteins that have expression patterns similar to that of the present gene. Some of the more specific features of the peptides of the present invention, and the uses thereof, are described herein, particularly in the Background of the Invention and in the annotation provided in the Figures, and/or are known within the art for each of the known sugar transporter family or subfamily of transporter proteins.

[0069] Specific Embodiments

[0070] Peptide Molecules

[0071] The present invention provides nucleic acid sequences that encode protein molecules that have been identified as being members of the transporter family of proteins and are related to the sugar transporter subfamily (protein sequences are provided in FIG. 2, transcript/cDNA sequences are provided in FIG. 1 and genomic sequences are provided in FIG. 3). The peptide sequences provided in FIG. 2, as well as the obvious variants described herein, particularly allelic variants as identified herein and using the information in FIG. 3, will be referred herein as the transporter peptides of the present invention, transporter peptides, or peptides/proteins of the present invention.

[0072] The present invention provides isolated peptide and protein molecules that consist of, consist essentially of, or comprising the amino acid sequences of the transporter peptides disclosed in the FIG. 2, (encoded by the nucleic acid molecule shown in FIG. 1, transcript/cDNA or FIG. 3, genomic sequence), as well as all obvious variants of these peptides that are within the art to make and use. Some of these variants are described in detail below.

[0073] As used herein, a peptide is said to be “isolated” or “purified” when it is substantially free of cellular material or free of chemical precursors or other chemicals The peptides of the present invention can be purified to homogeneity or other degrees of purity. The level of purification will be based on the intended use. The critical feature is that the preparation allows for the desired function of the peptide, even if in the presence of considerable amounts of other components (the features of an isolated nucleic acid molecule is discussed below).

[0074] In some uses, “substantially free of cellular material” includes preparations of the peptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) other proteins (i.e., contaminating protein), less than about 20% other proteins, less than about 10% other proteins, or less than about 5% other proteins. When the peptide is recombinantly produced, it can also be substantially free of culture medium, i.e., culture medium represents less than about 20% of the volume of the protein preparation.

[0075] The language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of the peptide in which it is separated from chemical precursors or other chemicals that are involved in its synthesis. In one embodiment, the language “substantially free of chemical precursors or other chemicals” includes preparations of the transporter peptide having less than about 30% (by dry weight) chemical precursors or other chemicals, less than about 20% chemical precursors or other chemicals, less than about 10% chemical precursors or other chemicals, or less than about 5% chemical precursors or other chemicals.

[0076] The isolated transporter peptide can be purified from cells that naturally express it, purified from cells that have been altered to express it (recombinant), or synthesized using known protein synthesis methods. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. For example, a nucleic acid molecule encoding the transporter peptide is cloned into an expression vector, the expression vector introduced into a host cell and the protein expressed in the host cell. The protein can then be isolated from the cells by an appropriate purification scheme using standard protein purification techniques. Many of these techniques are described in detail below.

[0077] Accordingly, the present invention provides proteins that consist of the amino acid sequences provided in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), for example, proteins encoded by the transcript/cDNA nucleic acid sequences shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:1) and the genomic sequences provided in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO:3). The amino acid sequence of such a protein is provided in FIG. 2. A protein consists of an amino acid sequence when the amino acid sequence is the final amino acid sequence of the protein.

[0078] The present invention further provides proteins that consist essentially of the amino acid sequences provided in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), for example, proteins encoded by the transcript/cDNA nucleic acid sequences shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:1) and the genomic sequences provided in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO:3). A protein consists essentially of an amino acid sequence when such an amino acid sequence is present with only a few additional amino acid residues, for example from about 1 to about 100 or so additional residues, typically from 1 to about 20 additional residues in the final protein.

[0079] The present invention further provides proteins that comprise the amino acid sequences provided in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:2), for example, proteins encoded by the transcript/cDNA nucleic acid sequences shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:1) and the genomic sequences provided in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO:3). A protein comprises an amino acid sequence when the amino acid sequence is at least part of the final amino acid sequence of the protein. In such a fashion, the protein can be only the peptide or have additional amino acid molecules, such as amino acid residues (contiguous encoded sequence) that are naturally associated with it or heterologous amino acid residues/peptide sequences. Such a protein can have a few additional amino acid residues or can comprise several hundred or more additional amino acids. The preferred classes of proteins that are comprised of the transporter peptides of the present invention are the naturally occurring mature proteins. A brief description of how various types of these proteins can be made/isolated is provided below.

[0080] The transporter peptides of the present invention can be attached to heterologous sequences to form chimeric or fusion proteins. Such chimeric and fusion proteins comprise a transporter peptide operatively linked to a heterologous protein having an amino acid sequence not substantially homologous to the transporter peptide. “Operatively linked” indicates that the transporter peptide and the heterologous protein are fused in-frame. The heterologous protein can be fused to the N-terminus or C-terminus of the transporter peptide.

[0081] In some uses, the fusion protein does not affect the activity of the transporter peptide per se. For example, the fusion protein can include, but is not limited to, enzymatic fusion proteins, for example beta-galactosidase fusions, yeast two-hybrid GAL fusions, poly-His fusions, MYC-tagged, HI-tagged and Ig fusions. Such fusion proteins, particularly poly-His fusions, can facilitate the purification of recombinant transporter peptide. In certain host cells (e.g., mammalian host cells), expression and/or secretion of a protein can be increased by using a heterologous signal sequence.

[0082] A chimeric or fusion protein can be produced by standard recombinant DNA techniques. For example, DNA fragments coding for the different protein sequences are ligated together in-frame in accordance with conventional techniques. In another embodiment, the fusion gene can be synthesized by conventional techniques including automated DNA synthesizers. Alternatively, PCR amplification of gene fragments can be carried out using anchor primers which give rise to complementary overhangs between two consecutive gene fragments which can subsequently be annealed and re-amplified to generate a chimeric gene sequence (see Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, 1992). Moreover, many expression vectors are commercially available that already encode a fusion moiety (e.g., a GST protein). A transporter peptide-encoding nucleic acid can be cloned into such an expression vector such that the fusion moiety is linked in-frame to the transporter peptide.

[0083] As mentioned above, the present invention also provides and enables obvious variants of the amino acid sequence of the proteins of the present invention, such as naturally occurring mature forms of the peptide, allelic/sequence variants of the peptides, non-naturally occurring recombinantly derived variants of the peptides, and orthologs and paralogs of the peptides. Such variants can readily be generated using art-known techniques in the fields of recombinant nucleic acid technology and protein biochemistry. It is understood, however, that variants exclude any amino acid sequences disclosed prior to the invention.

[0084] Such variants can readily be identified/made using molecular techniques and the sequence information disclosed herein. Further, such variants can readily be distinguished from other peptides based on sequence and/or structural homology to the transporter peptides of the present invention. The degree of homology/identity present will be based primarily on whether the peptide is a functional variant or non-functional variant, the amount of divergence present in the paralog family and the evolutionary distance between the orthologs.

[0085] To determine the percent identity of two amino acid sequences or two nucleic acid sequences, the sequences are aligned for optimal comparison purposes (e.g., gaps can be introduced in one or both of a first and a second amino acid or nucleic acid sequence for optimal alignment and non-homologous sequences can be disregarded for comparison purposes). In a preferred embodiment, at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% or more of a reference sequence is aligned for comparison purposes. The amino acid residues or nucleotides at corresponding amino acid positions or nucleotide positions are then compared. When a position in the first sequence is occupied by the same amino acid residue or nucleotide as the corresponding position in the second sequence, then the molecules are identical at that position (as used herein amino acid or nucleic acid “identity” is equivalent to amino acid or nucleic acid “homology”). The percent identity between the two sequences is a function of the number of identical positions shared by the sequences, taking into account the number of gaps, and the length of each gap, which need to be introduced for optimal alignment of the two sequences.

[0086] The comparison of sequences and determination of percent identity and similarity between two sequences can be accomplished using a mathematical algorithm. (Computational Molecular Biology, Lesk, A. M., ed., Oxford University Press, New York, 1988; Biocomputing: Informatics and Genome Projects, Smith, D. W., ed., Academic Press, New York, 1993; Computer Analysis of Sequence Data, Part 1, Griffin, A. M., and Griffin, H. G., eds., Humana Press, New Jersey, 1994; Sequence Analysis in Molecular Biology, von Heinje, G., Academic Press, 1987; and Sequence Analysis Primer, Gribskov, M. and Devereux, J., eds., M Stockton Press, New York, 1991). In a preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid sequences is determined using the Needleman and Wunsch (J. Mol. Biol. (48):444-453 (1970)) algorithm which has been incorporated into the GAP program in the GCG software package (available at http://www.gcg.com), using either a Blossom 62 matrix or a PAM250 matrix, and a gap weight of 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, or 4 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In yet another preferred embodiment, the percent identity between two nucleotide sequences is determined using the GAP program in the GCG software package (Devereux, J., et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 12(1):387 (1984)) (available at http://www.gcg.com), using a NWSgapdna.CMP matrix and a gap weight of 40, 50, 60, 70, or 80 and a length weight of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. In another embodiment, the percent identity between two amino acid or nucleotide sequences is determined using the algorithm of E. Myers and W. Miller (CABIOS, 4:11-17 (1989)) which has been incorporated into the ALIGN program (version 2.0), using a PAM120 weight residue table, a gap length penalty of 12 and a gap penalty of 4.

[0087] The nucleic acid and protein sequences of the present invention can further be used as a “query sequence” to perform a search against sequence databases to, for example, identify other family members or related sequences. Such searches can be performed using the NBLAST and XBLAST programs (version 2.0) of Altschul, et al. (J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-10 (1990)). BLAST nucleotide searches can be performed with the NBLAST program, score=100, wordlength=12 to obtain nucleotide sequences homologous to the nucleic acid molecules of the invention. BLAST protein searches can be performed with the XBLAST program, score=50, wordlength=3 to obtain amino acid sequences homologous to the proteins of the invention. To obtain gapped alignments for comparison purposes, Gapped BLAST can be utilized as described in Altschul et al. (Nucleic Acids Res. 25(17):3389-3402 (1997)). When utilizing BLAST and gapped BLAST programs, the default parameters of the respective programs (e.g., XBLAST and NBLAST) can be used.

[0088] Full-length pre-processed forms, as well as mature processed forms, of proteins that comprise one of the peptides of the present invention can readily be identified as having complete sequence identity to one of the transporter peptides of the present invention as well as being encoded by the same genetic locus as the transporter peptide provided herein. The gene encoding the novel transporter protein of the present invention is located on a genome component that has been mapped to human chromosome 1 (as indicated in FIG. 3), which is supported by multiple lines of evidence, such as STS and BAC map data.

[0089] Allelic variants of a transporter peptide can readily be identified as being a human protein having a high degree (significant) of sequence homology/identity to at least a portion of the transporter peptide as well as being encoded by the same genetic locus as the transporter peptide provided herein. Genetic locus can readily be determined based on the genomic information provided in FIG. 3, such as the genomic sequence mapped to the reference human. The gene encoding the novel transporter protein of the present invention is located on a genome component that has been mapped to human chromosome 1 (as indicated in FIG. 3), which is supported by multiple lines of evidence, such as STS and BAC map data. As used herein, two proteins (or a region of the proteins) have significant homology when the amino acid sequences are typically at least about 70-80%, 80-90%, and more typically at least about 90-95% or more homologous. A significantly homologous amino acid sequence, according to the present invention, will be encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that will hybridize to a transporter peptide encoding nucleic acid molecule under stringent conditions as more fully described below.

[0090]FIG. 3 provides information on SNPs that have been found in the gene encoding the transporter protein of the present invention. SNPs were identified at 42 different nucleotide positions, including a non-synonymous coding SNP at nucleotide position 13529. The change in the amino acid sequence caused by this SNP is indicated in FIG. 3 and can readily be determined using the universal genetic code and the protein sequence provided in FIG. 2 as a reference. Some of the SNPs that are located outside the ORF and in introns may affect gene transcription.

[0091] Paralogs of a transporter peptide can readily be identified as having some degree of significant sequence homology/identity to at least a portion of the transporter peptide, as being encoded by a gene from humans, and as having similar activity or function. Two proteins will typically be considered paralogs when the amino acid sequences are typically at least about 60% or greater, and more typically at least about 70% or greater homology through a given region or domain. Such paralogs will be encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that will hybridize to a transporter peptide encoding nucleic acid molecule under moderate to stringent conditions as more fully described below.

[0092] Orthologs of a transporter peptide can readily be identified as having some degree of significant sequence homology/identity to at least a portion of the transporter peptide as well as being encoded by a gene from another organism. Preferred orthologs will be isolated from mammals, preferably primates, for the development of human therapeutic targets and agents. Such orthologs will be encoded by a nucleic acid sequence that will hybridize to a transporter peptide encoding nucleic acid molecule under moderate to stringent conditions, as more fully described below, depending on the degree of relatedness of the two organisms yielding the proteins.

[0093] Non-naturally occurring variants of the transporter peptides of the present invention can readily be generated using recombinant techniques. Such variants include, but are not limited to deletions, additions and substitutions in the amino acid sequence of the transporter peptide. For example, one class of substitutions are conserved amino acid substitution. Such substitutions are those that substitute a given amino acid in a transporter peptide by another amino acid of like characteristics. Typically seen as conservative substitutions are the replacements, one for another, among the aliphatic amino acids Ala, Val, Leu, and Ile; interchange of the hydroxyl residues Ser and Thr; exchange of the acidic residues Asp and Glu; substitution between the amide residues Asn and Gln; exchange of the basic residues Lys and Arg; and replacements among the aromatic residues Phe and Tyr. Guidance concerning which amino acid changes are likely to be phenotypically silent are found in Bowie et al., Science 247:1306-1310 (1990).

[0094] Variant transporter peptides can be fully functional or can lack function in one or more activities, e.g. ability to bind ligand, ability to transport ligand, ability to mediate signaling, etc. Fully functional variants typically contain only conservative variation or variation in non-critical residues or in non-critical regions. FIG. 2 provides the result of protein analysis and can be used to identify critical domains/regions. Functional variants can also contain substitution of similar amino acids that result in no change or an insignificant change in function. Alternatively, such substitutions may positively or negatively affect function to some degree.

[0095] Non-functional variants typically contain one or more non-conservative amino acid substitutions, deletions, insertions, inversions, or truncation or a substitution, insertion, inversion, or deletion in a critical residue or critical region.

[0096] Amino acids that are essential for function can be identified by methods known in the art, such as site-directed mutagenesis or alanine-scanning mutagenesis (Cunningham et al., Science 244:1081-1085 (1989)), particularly using the results provided in FIG. 2. The latter procedure introduces single alanine mutations at every residue in the molecule. The resulting mutant molecules are then tested for biological activity such as transporter activity or in assays such as an in vitro proliferative activity. Sites that are critical for binding partner/substrate binding can also be determined by structural analysis such as crystallization, nuclear magnetic resonance or photoaffinity labeling (Smith et al., J. Mol. Biol. 224:899-904 (1992); de Vos et al. Science 255:306-312 (1992)).

[0097] The present invention further provides fragments of the transporter peptides, in addition to proteins and peptides that comprise and consist of such fragments, particularly those comprising the residues identified in FIG. 2. The fragments to which the invention pertains, however, are not to be construed as encompassing fragments that may be disclosed publicly prior to the present invention.

[0098] As used herein, a fragment comprises at least 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, or more contiguous amino acid residues from a transporter peptide. Such fragments can be chosen based on the ability to retain one or more of the biological activities of the transporter peptide or could be chosen for the ability to perform a function, e.g. bind a substrate or act as an immunogen. Particularly important fragments are biologically active fragments, peptides that are, for example, about 8 or more amino acids in length. Such fragments will typically comprise a domain or motif of the transporter peptide, e.g., active site, a transmembrane domain or a substrate-binding domain. Further, possible fragments include, but are not limited to, domain or motif containing fragments, soluble peptide fragments, and fragments containing immunogenic structures. Predicted domains and functional sites are readily identifiable by computer programs well known and readily available to those of skill in the art (e.g., PROSITE analysis). The results of one such analysis are provided in FIG. 2.

[0099] Polypeptides often contain amino acids other than the 20 amino acids commonly referred to as the 20 naturally occurring amino acids. Further, many amino acids, including the terminal amino acids, may be modified by natural processes, such as processing and other post-translational modifications, or by chemical modification techniques well known in the art. Common modifications that occur naturally in transporter peptides are described in basic texts, detailed monographs, and the research literature, and they are well known to those of skill in the art (some of these features are identified in FIG. 2).

[0100] Known modifications include, but are not limited to, acetylation, acylation, ADP-ribosylation, amidation, covalent attachment of flavin, covalent attachment of a heme moiety, covalent attachment of a nucleotide or nucleotide derivative, covalent attachment of a lipid or lipid derivative, covalent attachment of phosphotidylinositol, cross-linking, cyclization, disulfide bond formation, demethylation, formation of covalent crosslinks, formation of cystine, formation of pyroglutamate, formylation, gamma carboxylation, glycosylation, GPI anchor formation, hydroxylation, iodination, methylation, myristoylation, oxidation, proteolytic processing, phosphorylation, prenylation, racemization, selenoylation, sulfation, transfer-RNA mediated addition of amino acids to proteins such as arginylation, and ubiquitination.

[0101] Such modifications are well known to those of skill in the art and have been described in great detail in the scientific literature. Several particularly common modifications, glycosylation, lipid attachment, sulfation, gamma-carboxylation of glutamic acid residues, hydroxylation and ADP-ribosylation, for instance, are described in most basic texts, such as Proteins—Structure and Molecular Properties, 2nd Ed., T. E. Creighton, W. H. Freeman and Company, New York (1993). Many detailed reviews are available on this subject, such as by Wold, F., Posttranslational Covalent Modification of Proteins, B. C. Johnson, Ed., Academic Press, New York 1-12 (1983); Seifter et al. (Meth. Enzymol. 182: 626-646 (1990)) and Rattan et al. (Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 663:48-62 (1992)).

[0102] Accordingly, the transporter peptides of the present invention also encompass derivatives or analogs in which a substituted amino acid residue is not one encoded by the genetic code, in which a substituent group is included, in which the mature transporter peptide is fused with another compound, such as a compound to increase the half-life of the transporter peptide (for example, polyethylene glycol), or in which the additional amino acids are fused to the mature transporter peptide, such as a leader or secretory sequence or a sequence for purification of the mature transporter peptide or a pro-protein sequence.

[0103] Protein/Peptide Uses

[0104] The proteins of the present invention can be used in substantial and specific assays related to the functional information provided in the Figures; to raise antibodies or to elicit another immune response; as a reagent (including the labeled reagent) in assays designed to quantitatively determine levels of the protein (or its binding partner or ligand) in biological fluids; and as markers for tissues in which the corresponding protein is preferentially expressed (either constitutively or at a particular stage of tissue differentiation or development or in a disease state). Where the protein binds or potentially binds to another protein or ligand (such as, for example, in a transporter-effector protein interaction or transporter-ligand interaction), the protein can be used to identify the binding partner/ligand so as to develop a system to identify inhibitors of the binding interaction. Any or all of these uses are capable of being developed into reagent grade or kit format for commercialization as commercial products.

[0105] Methods for performing the uses listed above are well known to those skilled in the art. References disclosing such methods include “Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual”, 2d ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Sambrook, J., E. F. Fritsch and T. Maniatis eds., 1989, and “Methods in Enzymology: Guide to Molecular Cloning Techniques”, Academic Press, Berger, S. L. and A. R. Kimmel eds., 1987.

[0106] The potential uses of the peptides of the present invention are based primarily on the source of the protein as well as the class/action of the protein. For example, transporters isolated from humans and their human/mammalian orthologs serve as targets for identifying agents for use in mammalian therapeutic applications, e.g. a human drug, particularly in modulating a biological or pathological response in a cell or tissue that expresses the transporter. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. A large percentage of pharmaceutical agents are being developed that modulate the activity of transporter proteins, particularly members of the sugar transporter subfamily (see Background of the Invention). The structural and functional information provided in the Background and Figures provide specific and substantial uses for the molecules of the present invention, particularly in combination with the expression information provided in FIG. 1. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. Such uses can readily be determined using the information provided herein, that known in the art and routine experimentation.

[0107] The proteins of the present invention (including variants and fragments that may have been disclosed prior to the present invention) are useful for biological assays related to transporters that are related to members of the sugar transporter subfamily. Such assays involve any of the known transporter functions or activities or properties useful for diagnosis and treatment of transporter-related conditions that are specific for the subfamily of transporters that the one of the present invention belongs to, particularly in cells and tissues that express the transporter. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. The proteins of the present invention are also useful in drug screening assays, in cell-based or cell-free systems ((Hodgson, Bio/technology, 1992, Sept 10(9);973-80). Cell-based systems can be native, i.e., cells that normally express the transporter, as a biopsy or expanded in cell culture. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. In an alternate embodiment, cell-based assays involve recombinant host cells expressing the transporter protein.

[0108] The polypeptides can be used to identify compounds that modulate transporter activity of the protein in its natural state or an altered form that causes a specific disease or pathology associated with the transporter. Both the transporters of the present invention and appropriate variants and fragments can be used in high-throughput screens to assay candidate compounds for the ability to bind to the transporter. These compounds can be further screened against a functional transporter to determine the effect of the compound on the transporter activity. Further, these compounds can be tested in animal or invertebrate systems to determine activity/effectiveness. Compounds can be identified that activate (agonist) or inactivate (antagonist) the transporter to a desired degree.

[0109] Further, the proteins of the present invention can be used to screen a compound for the ability to stimulate or inhibit interaction between the transporter protein and a molecule that normally interacts with the transporter protein, e.g. a substrate or a component of the signal pathway that the transporter protein normally interacts (for example, another transporter). Such assays typically include the steps of combining the transporter protein with a candidate compound under conditions that allow the transporter protein, or fragment, to interact with the target molecule, and to detect the formation of a complex between the protein and the target or to detect the biochemical consequence of the interaction with the transporter protein and the target, such as any of the associated effects of signal transduction such as changes in membrane potential, protein phosphorylation, cAMP turnover, and adenylate cyclase activation, etc.

[0110] Candidate compounds include, for example, 1) peptides such as soluble peptides, including Ig-tailed fusion peptides and members of random peptide libraries (see, e.g., Lam et al., Nature 354:82-84 (1991); Houghten et al., Nature 354:84-86 (1991)) and combinatorial chemistry-derived molecular libraries made of D- and/or L-configuration amino acids; 2) phosphopeptides (e.g., members of random and partially degenerate, directed phosphopeptide libraries, see, e.g., Songyang et al., Cell 72:767-778 (1993)); 3) antibodies (e.g., polyclonal, monoclonal, humanized, anti-idiotypic, chimeric, and single chain antibodies as well as Fab, F(ab′)2, Fab expression library fragments, and epitope-binding fragments of antibodies); and 4) small organic and inorganic molecules (e.g., molecules obtained from combinatorial and natural product libraries).

[0111] One candidate compound is a soluble fragment of the receptor that competes for ligand binding. Other candidate compounds include mutant transporters or appropriate fragments containing mutations that affect transporter function and thus compete for ligand. Accordingly, a fragment that competes for ligand, for example with a higher affinity, or a fragment that binds ligand but does not allow release, is encompassed by the invention.

[0112] The invention further includes other end point assays to identify compounds that modulate (stimulate or inhibit) transporter activity. The assays typically involve an assay of events in the signal transduction pathway that indicate transporter activity. Thus, the transport of a ligand, change in cell membrane potential, activation of a protein, a change in the expression of genes that are up- or down-regulated in response to the transporter protein dependent signal cascade can be assayed.

[0113] Any of the biological or biochemical functions mediated by the transporter can be used as an endpoint assay. These include all of the biochemical or biochemical/biological events described herein, in the references cited herein, incorporated by reference for these endpoint assay targets, and other functions known to those of ordinary skill in the art or that can be readily identified using the information provided in the Figures, particularly FIG. 2. Specifically, a biological function of a cell or tissues that expresses the transporter can be assayed. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample.

[0114] Binding and/or activating compounds can also be screened by using chimeric transporter proteins in which the amino terminal extracellular domain, or parts thereof, the entire transmembrane domain or subregions, such as any of the seven transmembrane segments or any of the intracellular or extracellular loops and the carboxy terminal intracellular domain, or parts thereof, can be replaced by heterologous domains or subregions. For example, a ligand-binding region can be used that interacts with a different ligand then that which is recognized by the native transporter. Accordingly, a different set of signal transduction components is available as an end-point assay for activation. This allows for assays to be performed in other than the specific host cell from which the transporter is derived.

[0115] The proteins of the present invention are also useful in competition binding assays in methods designed to discover compounds that interact with the transporter (e.g. binding partners and/or ligands). Thus, a compound is exposed to a transporter polypeptide under conditions that allow the compound to bind or to otherwise interact with the polypeptide. Soluble transporter polypeptide is also added to the mixture. If the test compound interacts with the soluble transporter polypeptide, it decreases the amount of complex formed or activity from the transporter target. This type of assay is particularly useful in cases in which compounds are sought that interact with specific regions of the transporter. Thus, the soluble polypeptide that competes with the target transporter region is designed to contain peptide sequences corresponding to the region of interest.

[0116] To perform cell free drug screening assays, it is sometimes desirable to immobilize either the transporter protein, or fragment, or its target molecule to facilitate separation of complexes from uncomplexed forms of one or both of the proteins, as well as to accommodate automation of the assay.

[0117] Techniques for immobilizing proteins on matrices can be used in the drug screening assays. In one embodiment, a fusion protein can be provided which adds a domain that allows the protein to be bound to a matrix. For example, glutathione-S-transferase fusion proteins can be adsorbed onto glutathione sepharose beads (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, Mo.) or glutathione derivatized microtitre plates, which are then combined with the cell lysates (e.g., ³⁵S-labeled) and the candidate compound, and the mixture incubated under conditions conducive to complex formation (e.g., at physiological conditions for salt and pH). Following incubation, the beads are washed to remove any unbound label, and the matrix immobilized and radiolabel determined directly, or in the supernatant after the complexes are dissociated. Alternatively, the complexes can be dissociated from the matrix, separated by SDS-PAGE, and the level of transporter-binding protein found in the bead fraction quantitated from the gel using standard electrophoretic techniques. For example, either the polypeptide or its target molecule can be immobilized utilizing conjugation of biotin and streptavidin using techniques well known in the art. Alternatively, antibodies reactive with the protein but which do not interfere with binding of the protein to its target molecule can be derivatized to the wells of the plate, and the protein trapped in the wells by antibody conjugation. Preparations of a transporter-binding protein and a candidate compound are incubated in the transporter protein-presenting wells and the amount of complex trapped in the well can be quantitated. Methods for detecting such complexes, in addition to those described above for the GST-immobilized complexes, include immunodetection of complexes using antibodies reactive with the transporter protein target molecule, or which are reactive with transporter protein and compete with the target molecule, as well as enzyme-linked assays which rely on detecting an enzymatic activity associated with the target molecule.

[0118] Agents that modulate one of the transporters of the present invention can be identified using one or more of the above assays, alone or in combination. It is generally preferable to use a cell-based or cell free system first and then confirm activity in an animal or other model system. Such model systems are well known in the art and can readily be employed in this context.

[0119] Modulators of transporter protein activity identified according to these drug screening assays can be used to treat a subject with a disorder mediated by the transporter pathway, by treating cells or tissues that express the transporter. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. These methods of treatment include the steps of administering a modulator of transporter activity in a pharmaceutical composition to a subject in need of such treatment, the modulator being identified as described herein.

[0120] In yet another aspect of the invention, the transporter proteins can be used as “bait proteins” in a two-hybrid assay or three-hybrid assay (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,317; Zervos et al. (1993) Cell 72:223-232; Madura et al. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268:12046-12054; Bartel et al. (1993) Biotechniques 14:920-924; Iwabuchi et al. (1993) Oncogene 8:1693-1696; and Brent WO94/10300), to identify other proteins, which bind to or interact with the transporter and are involved in transporter activity. Such transporter-binding proteins are also likely to be involved in the propagation of signals by the transporter proteins or transporter targets as, for example, downstream elements of a transporter-mediated signaling pathway. Alternatively, such transporter-binding proteins are likely to be transporter inhibitors.

[0121] The two-hybrid system is based on the modular nature of most transcription factors, which consist of separable DNA-binding and activation domains. Briefly, the assay utilizes two different DNA constructs. In one construct, the gene that codes for a transporter protein is fused to a gene encoding the DNA binding domain of a known transcription factor (e.g., GAL-4). In the other construct, a DNA sequence, from a library of DNA sequences, that encodes an unidentified protein (“prey” or “sample”) is fused to a gene that codes for the activation domain of the known transcription factor. If the “bait” and the “prey” proteins are able to interact, in vivo, forming a transporter-dependent complex, the DNA-binding and activation domains of the transcription factor are brought into close proximity. This proximity allows transcription of a reporter gene (e.g., LacZ) which is operably linked to a transcriptional regulatory site responsive to the transcription factor. Expression of the reporter gene can be detected and cell colonies containing the functional transcription factor can be isolated and used to obtain the cloned gene which encodes the protein which interacts with the transporter protein.

[0122] This invention further pertains to novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays. Accordingly, it is within the scope of this invention to further use an agent identified as described herein in an appropriate animal model. For example, an agent identified as described herein (e.g., a transporter-modulating agent, an antisense transporter nucleic acid molecule, a transporter-specific antibody, or a transporter-binding partner) can be used in an animal or other model to determine the efficacy, toxicity, or side effects of treatment with such an agent. Alternatively, an agent identified as described herein can be used in an animal or other model to determine the mechanism of action of such an agent. Furthermore, this invention pertains to uses of novel agents identified by the above-described screening assays for treatments as described herein.

[0123] The transporter proteins of the present invention are also useful to provide a target for diagnosing a disease or predisposition to disease mediated by the peptide. Accordingly, the invention provides methods for detecting the presence, or levels of, the protein (or encoding mRNA) in a cell, tissue, or organism. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. The method involves contacting a biological sample with a compound capable of interacting with the transporter protein such that the interaction can be detected. Such an assay can be provided in a single detection format or a multi-detection format such as an antibody chip array.

[0124] One agent for detecting a protein in a sample is an antibody capable of selectively binding to protein. A biological sample includes tissues, cells and biological fluids isolated from a subject, as well as tissues, cells and fluids present within a subject.

[0125] The peptides of the present invention also provide targets for diagnosing active protein activity, disease, or predisposition to disease, in a patient having a variant peptide, particularly activities and conditions that are known for other members of the family of proteins to which the present one belongs. Thus, the peptide can be isolated from a biological sample and assayed for the presence of a genetic mutation that results in aberrant peptide. This includes amino acid substitution, deletion, insertion, rearrangement, (as the result of aberrant splicing events), and inappropriate post-translational modification. Analytic methods include altered electrophoretic mobility, altered tryptic peptide digest, altered transporter activity in cell-based or cell-free assay, alteration in ligand or antibody-binding pattern, altered isoelectric point, direct amino acid sequencing, and any other of the known assay techniques useful for detecting mutations in a protein. Such an assay can be provided in a single detection format or a multi-detection format such as an antibody chip array.

[0126] In vitro techniques for detection of peptide include enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), Western blots, immunoprecipitations and immunofluorescence using a detection reagent, such as an antibody or protein binding agent. Alternatively, the peptide can be detected in vivo in a subject by introducing into the subject a labeled anti-peptide antibody or other types of detection agent. For example, the antibody can be labeled with a radioactive marker whose presence and location in a subject can be detected by standard imaging techniques. Particularly useful are methods that detect the allelic variant of a peptide expressed in a subject and methods which detect fragments of a peptide in a sample.

[0127] The peptides are also useful in pharmacogenomic analysis. Pharmacogenomics deal with clinically significant hereditary variations in the response to drugs due to altered drug disposition and abnormal action in affected persons. See, e.g., Eichelbaum, M. (Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 23(10-11):983-985 (1996)), and Linder, M. W. (Clin. Chem. 43(2):254-266 (1997)). The clinical outcomes of these variations result in severe toxicity of therapeutic drugs in certain individuals or therapeutic failure of drugs in certain individuals as a result of individual variation in metabolism. Thus, the genotype of the individual can determine the way a therapeutic compound acts on the body or the way the body metabolizes the compound. Further, the activity of drug metabolizing enzymes effects both the intensity and duration of drug action. Thus, the pharmacogenomics of the individual permit the selection of effective compounds and effective dosages of such compounds for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment based on the individual's genotype. The discovery of genetic polymorphisms in some drug metabolizing enzymes has explained why some patients do not obtain the expected drug effects, show an exaggerated drug effect, or experience serious toxicity from standard drug dosages. Polymorphisms can be expressed in the phenotype of the extensive metabolizer and the phenotype of the poor metabolizer. Accordingly, genetic polymorphism may lead to allelic protein variants of the transporter protein in which one or more of the transporter functions in one population is different from those in another population. The peptides thus allow a target to ascertain a genetic predisposition that can affect treatment modality. Thus, in a ligand-based treatment, polymorphism may give rise to amino terminal extracellular domains and/or other ligand-binding regions that are more or less active in ligand binding, and transporter activation. Accordingly, ligand dosage would necessarily be modified to maximize the therapeutic effect within a given population containing a polymorphism. As an alternative to genotyping, specific polymorphic peptides could be identified.

[0128] The peptides are also useful for treating a disorder characterized by an absence of, inappropriate, or unwanted expression of the protein. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. Accordingly, methods for treatment include the use of the transporter protein or fragments.

[0129] Antibodies

[0130] The invention also provides antibodies that selectively bind to one of the peptides of the present invention, a protein comprising such a peptide, as well as variants and fragments thereof. As used herein, an antibody selectively binds a target peptide when it binds the target peptide and does not significantly bind to unrelated proteins. An antibody is still considered to selectively bind a peptide even if it also binds to other proteins that are not substantially homologous with the target peptide so long as such proteins share homology with a fragment or domain of the peptide target of the antibody. In this case, it would be understood that antibody binding to the peptide is still selective despite some degree of cross-reactivity.

[0131] As used herein, an antibody is defined in terms consistent with that recognized within the art: they are multi-subunit proteins produced by a mammalian organism in response to an antigen challenge. The antibodies of the present invention include polyclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies, as well as fragments of such antibodies, including, but not limited to, Fab or F(ab′)₂, and Fv fragments.

[0132] Many methods are known for generating and/or identifying antibodies to a given target peptide. Several such methods are described by Harlow, Antibodies, Cold Spring Harbor Press, (1989).

[0133] In general, to generate antibodies, an isolated peptide is used as an immunogen and is administered to a mammalian organism, such as a rat, rabbit or mouse. The full-length protein, an antigenic peptide fragment or a fusion protein can be used. Particularly important fragments are those covering functional domains, such as the domains identified in FIG. 2, and domain of sequence homology or divergence amongst the family, such as those that can readily be identified using protein alignment methods and as presented in the Figures.

[0134] Antibodies are preferably prepared from regions or discrete fragments of the transporter proteins. Antibodies can be prepared from any region of the peptide as described herein. However, preferred regions will include those involved in function/activity and/or transporter/binding partner interaction. FIG. 2 can be used to identify particularly important regions while sequence alignment can be used to identify conserved and unique sequence fragments.

[0135] An antigenic fragment will typically comprise at least 8 contiguous amino acid residues. The antigenic peptide can comprise, however, at least 10, 12, 14, 16 or more amino acid residues. Such fragments can be selected on a physical property, such as fragments correspond to regions that are located on the surface of the protein, e.g., hydrophilic regions or can be selected based on sequence uniqueness (see FIG. 2).

[0136] Detection on an antibody of the present invention can be facilitated by coupling (i.e., physically linking) the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, and radioactive materials. Examples of suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase; examples of suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin; examples of suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinylamine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin; an example of a luminescent material includes luminol; examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and acquorin, and examples of suitable radioactive material include ¹²⁵I, ¹³¹I, ³⁵S or ³H.

[0137] Antibody Uses

[0138] The antibodies can be used to isolate one of the proteins of the present invention by standard techniques, such as affinity chromatography or immunoprecipitation. The antibodies can facilitate the purification of the natural protein from cells and recombinantly produced protein expressed in host cells. In addition, such antibodies are useful to detect the presence of one of the proteins of the present invention in cells or tissues to determine the pattern of expression of the protein among various tissues in an organism and over the course of normal development. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. Further, such antibodies can be used to detect protein in situ, in vitro, or in a cell lysate or supernatant in order to evaluate the abundance and pattern of expression. Also, such antibodies can be used to assess abnormal tissue distribution or abnormal expression during development or progression of a biological condition. Antibody detection of circulating fragments of the full length protein can be used to identify turnover.

[0139] Further, the antibodies can be used to assess expression in disease states such as in active stages of the disease or in an individual with a predisposition toward disease related to the protein's function. When a disorder is caused by an inappropriate tissue distribution, developmental expression, level of expression of the protein, or expressed/processed form, the antibody can be prepared against the normal protein. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. If a disorder is characterized by a specific mutation in the protein, antibodies specific for this mutant protein can be used to assay for the presence of the specific mutant protein.

[0140] The antibodies can also be used to assess normal and aberrant subcellular localization of cells in the various tissues in an organism. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. The diagnostic uses can be applied, not only in genetic testing, but also in monitoring a treatment modality. Accordingly, where treatment is ultimately aimed at correcting expression level or the presence of aberrant sequence and aberrant tissue distribution or developmental expression, antibodies directed against the protein or relevant fragments can be used to monitor therapeutic efficacy.

[0141] Additionally, antibodies are useful in pharmacogenomic analysis. Thus, antibodies prepared against polymorphic proteins can be used to identify individuals that require modified treatment modalities. The antibodies are also useful as diagnostic tools as an immunological marker for aberrant protein analyzed by electrophoretic mobility, isoelectric point, tryptic peptide digest, and other physical assays known to those in the art.

[0142] The antibodies are also useful for tissue typing. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. Thus, where a specific protein has been correlated with expression in a specific tissue, antibodies that are specific for this protein can be used to identify a tissue type.

[0143] The antibodies are also useful for inhibiting protein function, for example, blocking the binding of the transporter peptide to a binding partner such as a ligand or protein binding partner. These uses can also be applied in a therapeutic context in which treatment involves inhibiting the protein's function. An antibody can be used, for example, to block binding, thus modulating (agonizing or antagonizing) the peptides activity. Antibodies can be prepared against specific fragments containing sites required for function or against intact protein that is associated with a cell or cell membrane. See FIG. 2 for structural information relating to the proteins of the present invention.

[0144] The invention also encompasses kits for using antibodies to detect the presence of a protein in a biological sample. The kit can comprise antibodies such as a labeled or labelable antibody and a compound or agent for detecting protein in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of protein in the sample; means for comparing the amount of protein in the sample with a standard; and instructions for use. Such a kit can be supplied to detect a single protein or epitope or can be configured to detect one of a multitude of epitopes, such as in an antibody detection array. Arrays are described in detail below for nucleic acid arrays and similar methods have been developed for antibody arrays.

[0145] Nucleic Acid Molecules

[0146] The present invention further provides isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode a transporter peptide or protein of the present invention (cDNA, transcript and genomic sequence). Such nucleic acid molecules will consist of, consist essentially of, or comprise a nucleotide sequence that encodes one of the transporter peptides of the present invention, an allelic variant thereof, or an ortholog or paralog thereof.

[0147] As used herein, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule is one that is separated from other nucleic acid present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. Preferably, an “isolated” nucleic acid is free of sequences that naturally flank the nucleic acid (i.e., sequences located at the 5′ and 3′ ends of the nucleic acid) in the genomic DNA of the organism from which the nucleic acid is derived. However, there can be some flanking nucleotide sequences, for example up to about 5 KB, 4 KB, 3 KB, 2 KB, or 1 KB or less, particularly contiguous peptide encoding sequences and peptide encoding sequences within the same gene but separated by introns in the genomic sequence. The important point is that the nucleic acid is isolated from remote and unimportant flanking sequences such that it can be subjected to the specific manipulations described herein such as recombinant expression, preparation of probes and primers, and other uses specific to the nucleic acid sequences.

[0148] Moreover, an “isolated” nucleic acid molecule, such as a transcript/cDNA molecule, can be substantially free of other cellular material, or culture medium when produced by recombinant techniques, or chemical precursors or other chemicals when chemically synthesized. However, the nucleic acid molecule can be fused to other coding or regulatory sequences and still be considered isolated.

[0149] For example, recombinant DNA molecules contained in a vector are considered isolated. Further examples of isolated DNA molecules include recombinant DNA molecules maintained in heterologous host cells or purified (partially or substantially) DNA molecules in solution. Isolated RNA molecules include in vivo or in vitro RNA transcripts of the isolated DNA molecules of the present invention. Isolated nucleic acid molecules according to the present invention further include such molecules produced synthetically.

[0150] Accordingly, the present invention provides nucleic acid molecules that consist of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 1 or 3 (SEQ ID NO:1, transcript sequence and SEQ ID NO:3, genomic sequence), or any nucleic acid molecule that encodes the protein provided in FIG. 2, SEQ ID NO:2. A nucleic acid molecule consists of a nucleotide sequence when the nucleotide sequence is the complete nucleotide sequence of the nucleic acid molecule.

[0151] The present invention further provides nucleic acid molecules that consist essentially of the nucleotide sequence shown in FIG. 1 or 3 (SEQ ID NO:1, transcript sequence and SEQ ID NO:3, genomic sequence), or any nucleic acid molecule that encodes the protein provided in FIG. 2, SEQ ID NO:2. A nucleic acid molecule consists essentially of a nucleotide sequence when such a nucleotide sequence is present with only a few additional nucleic acid residues in the final nucleic acid molecule.

[0152] The present invention further provides nucleic acid molecules that comprise the nucleotide sequences shown in FIG. 1 or 3 (SEQ ID NO:1, transcript sequence and SEQ ID NO:3, genomic sequence), or any nucleic acid molecule that encodes the protein provided in FIG. 2, SEQ ID NO:2. A nucleic acid molecule comprises a nucleotide sequence when the nucleotide sequence is at least part of the final nucleotide sequence of the nucleic acid molecule. In such a fashion, the nucleic acid molecule can be only the nucleotide sequence or have additional nucleic acid residues, such as nucleic acid residues that are naturally associated with it or heterologous nucleotide sequences. Such a nucleic acid molecule can have a few additional nucleotides or can comprise several hundred or more additional nucleotides. A brief description of how various types of these nucleic acid molecules can be readily made/isolated is provided below.

[0153] In FIGS. 1 and 3, both coding and non-coding sequences are provided. Because of the source of the present invention, humans genomic sequence (FIG. 3) and cDNA/transcript sequences (FIG. 1), the nucleic acid molecules in the Figures will contain genomic intronic sequences, 5′ and 3′ non-coding sequences, gene regulatory regions and non-coding intergenic sequences. In general such sequence features are either noted in FIGS. 1 and 3 or can readily be identified using computational tools known in the art. As discussed below, some of the non-coding regions, particularly gene regulatory elements such as promoters, are useful for a variety of purposes, e.g. control of heterologous gene expression, target for identifying gene activity modulating compounds, and are particularly claimed as fragments of the genomic sequence provided herein.

[0154] The isolated nucleic acid molecules can encode the mature protein plus additional amino or carboxyl-terminal amino acids, or amino acids interior to the mature peptide (when the mature form has more than one peptide chain, for instance). Such sequences may play a role in processing of a protein from precursor to a mature form, facilitate protein trafficking, prolong or shorten protein half-life or facilitate manipulation of a protein for assay or production, among other things. As generally is the case in situ, the additional amino acids may be processed away from the mature protein by cellular enzymes.

[0155] As mentioned above, the isolated nucleic acid molecules include, but are not limited to, the sequence encoding the transporter peptide alone, the sequence encoding the mature peptide and additional coding sequences, such as a leader or secretory sequence (e.g., a pre-pro or pro-protein sequence), the sequence encoding the mature peptide, with or without the additional coding sequences, plus additional non-coding sequences, for example introns and non-coding 5′ and 3′ sequences such as transcribed but non-translated sequences that play a role in transcription, mRNA processing (including splicing and polyadenylation signals), ribosome binding and stability of mRNA. In addition, the nucleic acid molecule may be fused to a marker sequence encoding, for example, a peptide that facilitates purification.

[0156] Isolated nucleic acid molecules can be in the form of RNA, such as mRNA, or in the form DNA, including cDNA and genomic DNA obtained by cloning or produced by chemical synthetic techniques or by a combination thereof. The nucleic acid, especially DNA, can be double-stranded or single-stranded. Single-stranded nucleic acid can be the coding strand (sense strand) or the non-coding strand (anti-sense strand).

[0157] The invention further provides nucleic acid molecules that encode fragments of the peptides of the present invention as well as nucleic acid molecules that encode obvious variants of the transporter proteins of the present invention that are described above. Such nucleic acid molecules may be naturally occurring, such as allelic variants (same locus), paralogs (different locus), and orthologs (different organism), or may be constructed by recombinant DNA methods or by chemical synthesis. Such non-naturally occurring variants may be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to nucleic acid molecules, cells, or organisms. Accordingly, as discussed above, the variants can contain nucleotide substitutions, deletions, inversions and insertions. Variation can occur in either or both the coding and non-coding regions. The variations can produce both conservative and non-conservative amino acid substitutions.

[0158] The present invention further provides non-coding fragments of the nucleic acid molecules provided in FIGS. 1 and 3. Preferred non-coding fragments include, but are not limited to, promoter sequences, enhancer sequences, gene modulating sequences and gene termination sequences. Such fragments are useful in controlling heterologous gene expression and in developing screens to identify gene-modulating agents. A promoter can readily be identified as being 5′ to the ATG start site in the genomic sequence provided in FIG. 3.

[0159] A fragment comprises a contiguous nucleotide sequence greater than 12 or more nucleotides. Further, a fragment could at least 30, 40, 50, 100, 250 or 500 nucleotides in length. The length of the fragment will be based on its intended use. For example, the fragment can encode epitope bearing regions of the peptide, or can be useful as DNA probes and primers. Such fragments can be isolated using the known nucleotide sequence to synthesize an oligonucleotide probe. A labeled probe can then be used to screen a cDNA library, genomic DNA library, or mRNA to isolate nucleic acid corresponding to the coding region. Further, primers can be used in PCR reactions to clone specific regions of gene.

[0160] A probe/primer typically comprises substantially a purified oligonucleotide or oligonucleotide pair. The oligonucleotide typically comprises a region of nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to at least about 12, 20, 25, 40, 50 or more consecutive nucleotides.

[0161] Orthologs, homologs, and allelic variants can be identified using methods well known in the art. As described in the Peptide Section, these variants comprise a nucleotide sequence encoding a peptide that is typically 60-70%, 70-80%, 80-90%, and more typically at least about 90-95% or more homologous to the nucleotide sequence shown in the Figure sheets or a fragment of this sequence. Such nucleic acid molecules can readily be identified as being able to hybridize under moderate to stringent conditions, to the nucleotide sequence shown in the Figure sheets or a fragment of the sequence. Allelic variants can readily be determined by genetic locus of the encoding gene. The gene encoding the novel transporter protein of the present invention is located on a genome component that has been mapped to human chromosome 1 (as indicated in FIG. 3), which is supported by multiple lines of evidence, such as STS and BAC map data.

[0162]FIG. 3 provides information on SNPs that have been found in the gene encoding the transporter protein of the present invention. SNPs were identified at 42 different nucleotide positions, including a non-synonymous coding SNP at nucleotide position 13529. The change in the amino acid sequence caused by this SNP is indicated in FIG. 3 and can readily be determined using the universal genetic code and the protein sequence provided in FIG. 2 as a reference. Some of the SNPs that are located outside the ORF and in introns may affect gene transcription.

[0163] As used herein, the term “hybridizes under stringent conditions” is intended to describe conditions for hybridization and washing under which nucleotide sequences encoding a peptide at least 60-70% homologous to each other typically remain hybridized to each other. The conditions can be such that sequences at least about 60%, at least about 70%, or at least about 80% or more homologous to each other typically remain hybridized to each other. Such stringent conditions are known to those skilled in the art and can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, N.Y. (1989), 6.3.1-6.3.6. One example of stringent hybridization conditions are hybridization in 6×sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) at about 45C, followed by one or more washes in 0.2×SSC, 0.1% SDS at 50-65C. Examples of moderate to low stringency hybridization conditions are well known in the art.

[0164] Nucleic Acid Molecule Uses

[0165] The nucleic acid molecules of the present invention are useful for probes, primers, chemical intermediates, and in biological assays. The nucleic acid molecules are useful as a hybridization probe for messenger RNA, transcript/cDNA and genomic DNA to isolate full-length cDNA and genomic clones encoding the peptide described in FIG. 2 and to isolate cDNA and genomic clones that correspond to variants (alleles, orthologs, etc.) producing the same or related peptides shown in FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 3, SNPs were identified at 42 different nucleotide positions.

[0166] The probe can correspond to any sequence along the entire length of the nucleic acid molecules provided in the Figures. Accordingly, it could be derived from 5′ noncoding regions, the coding region, and 3′ noncoding regions. However, as discussed, fragments are not to be construed as encompassing fragments disclosed prior to the present invention.

[0167] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful as primers for PCR to amplify any given region of a nucleic acid molecule and are useful to synthesize antisense molecules of desired length and sequence.

[0168] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for constructing recombinant vectors. Such vectors include expression vectors that express a portion of, or all of, the peptide sequences. Vectors also include insertion vectors, used to integrate into another nucleic acid molecule sequence, such as into the cellular genome, to alter in situ expression of a gene and/or gene product. For example, an endogenous coding sequence can be replaced via homologous recombination with all or part of the coding region containing one or more specifically introduced mutations.

[0169] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for expressing antigenic portions of the proteins.

[0170] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful as probes for determining the chromosomal positions of the nucleic acid molecules by means of in situ hybridization methods. The gene encoding the novel transporter protein of the present invention is located on a genome component that has been mapped to human chromosome 1 (as indicated in FIG. 3), which is supported by multiple lines of evidence, such as STS and BAC map data.

[0171] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful in making vectors containing the gene regulatory regions of the nucleic acid molecules of the present invention.

[0172] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for designing ribozymes corresponding to all, or a part, of the mRNA produced from the nucleic acid molecules described herein.

[0173] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for making vectors that express part, or all, of the peptides.

[0174] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for constructing host cells expressing a part, or all, of the nucleic acid molecules and peptides.

[0175] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for constructing transgenic animals expressing all, or a part, of the nucleic acid molecules and peptides.

[0176] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful as hybridization probes for determining the presence, level, form and distribution of nucleic acid expression. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample.

[0177] Accordingly, the probes can be used to detect the presence of, or to determine levels of, a specific nucleic acid molecule in cells, tissues, and in organisms. The nucleic acid whose level is determined can be DNA or RNA. Accordingly, probes corresponding to the peptides described herein can be used to assess expression and/or gene copy number in a given cell, tissue, or organism. These uses are relevant for diagnosis of disorders involving an increase or decrease in transporter protein expression relative to normal results.

[0178] In vitro techniques for detection of mRNA include Northern hybridizations and in situ hybridizations. In vitro techniques for detecting DNA include Southern hybridizations and in situ hybridization.

[0179] Probes can be used as a part of a diagnostic test kit for identifying cells or tissues that express a transporter protein, such as by measuring a level of a transporter-encoding nucleic acid in a sample of cells from a subject e.g., mRNA or genomic DNA, or determining if a transporter gene has been mutated. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample.

[0180] Nucleic acid expression assays are useful for drug screening to identify compounds that modulate transporter nucleic acid expression.

[0181] The invention thus provides a method for identifying a compound that can be used to treat a disorder associated with nucleic acid expression of the transporter gene, particularly biological and pathological processes that are mediated by the transporter in cells and tissues that express it. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. The method typically includes assaying the ability of the compound to modulate the expression of the transporter nucleic acid and thus identifying a compound that can be used to treat a disorder characterized by undesired transporter nucleic acid expression. The assays can be performed in cell-based and cell-free systems. Cell-based assays include cells naturally expressing the transporter nucleic acid or recombinant cells genetically engineered to express specific nucleic acid sequences.

[0182] The assay for transporter nucleic acid expression can involve direct assay of nucleic acid levels, such as mRNA levels, or on collateral compounds involved in the signal pathway. Further, the expression of genes that are up- or down-regulated in response to the transporter protein signal pathway can also be assayed. In this embodiment the regulatory regions of these genes can be operably linked to a reporter gene such as luciferase.

[0183] Thus, modulators of transporter gene expression can be identified in a method wherein a cell is contacted with a candidate compound and the expression of mRNA determined. The level of expression of transporter mRNA in the presence of the candidate compound is compared to the level of expression of transporter mRNA in the absence of the candidate compound. The candidate compound can then be identified as a modulator of nucleic acid expression based on this comparison and be used, for example to treat a disorder characterized by aberrant nucleic acid expression. When expression of mRNA is statistically significantly greater in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as a stimulator of nucleic acid expression. When nucleic acid expression is statistically significantly less in the presence of the candidate compound than in its absence, the candidate compound is identified as an inhibitor of nucleic acid expression.

[0184] The invention further provides methods of treatment, with the nucleic acid as a target, using a compound identified through drug screening as a gene modulator to modulate transporter nucleic acid expression in cells and tissues that express the transporter. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. Modulation includes both up-regulation (i.e. activation or agonization) or down-regulation (suppression or antagonization) or nucleic acid expression.

[0185] Alternatively, a modulator for transporter nucleic acid expression can be a small molecule or drug identified using the screening assays described herein as long as the drug or small molecule inhibits the transporter nucleic acid expression in the cells and tissues that express the protein. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates expression in humans in the prostate, testis, and a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample.

[0186] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for monitoring the effectiveness of modulating compounds on the expression or activity of the transporter gene in clinical trials or in a treatment regimen. Thus, the gene expression pattern can serve as a barometer for the continuing effectiveness of treatment with the compound, particularly with compounds to which a patient can develop resistance. The gene expression pattern can also serve as a marker indicative of a physiological response of the affected cells to the compound. Accordingly, such monitoring would allow either increased administration of the compound or the administration of alternative compounds to which the patient has not become resistant. Similarly, if the level of nucleic acid expression falls below a desirable level, administration of the compound could be commensurately decreased.

[0187] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful in diagnostic assays for qualitative changes in transporter nucleic acid expression, and particularly in qualitative changes that lead to pathology. The nucleic acid molecules can be used to detect mutations in transporter genes and gene expression products such as mRNA. The nucleic acid molecules can be used as hybridization probes to detect naturally occurring genetic mutations in the transporter gene and thereby to determine whether a subject with the mutation is at risk for a disorder caused by the mutation. Mutations include deletion, addition, or substitution of one or more nucleotides in the gene, chromosomal rearrangement, such as inversion or transposition, modification of genomic DNA, such as aberrant methylation patterns or changes in gene copy number, such as amplification. Detection of a mutated form of the transporter gene associated with a dysfunction provides a diagnostic tool for an active disease or susceptibility to disease when the disease results from overexpression, underexpression, or altered expression of a transporter protein.

[0188] Individuals carrying mutations in the transporter gene can be detected at the nucleic acid level by a variety of techniques. FIG. 3 provides information on SNPs that have been found in the gene encoding the transporter protein of the present invention. SNPs were identified at 42 different nucleotide positions, including a non-synonymous coding SNP at nucleotide position 13529. The change in the amino acid sequence caused by this SNP is indicated in FIG. 3 and can readily be determined using the universal genetic code and the protein sequence provided in FIG. 2 as a reference. Some of the SNPs that are located outside the ORF and in introns may affect gene transcription. The gene encoding the novel transporter protein of the present invention is located on a genome component that has been mapped to human chromosome 1 (as indicated in FIG. 3), which is supported by multiple lines of evidence, such as STS and BAC map data. Genomic DNA can be analyzed directly or can be amplified by using PCR prior to analysis. RNA or cDNA can be used in the same way. In some uses, detection of the mutation involves the use of a probe/primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (see, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202), such as anchor PCR or RACE PCR, or, alternatively, in a ligation chain reaction (LCR) (see, e.g., Landegran et al., Science 241:1077-1080 (1988); and Nakazawa et al., PNAS 91:360-364 (1994)), the latter of which can be particularly useful for detecting point mutations in the gene (see Abravaya et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 23:675-682 (1995)). This method can include the steps of collecting a sample of cells from a patient, isolating nucleic acid (e.g., genomic, mRNA or both) from the cells of the sample, contacting the nucleic acid sample with one or more primers which specifically hybridize to a gene under conditions such that hybridization and amplification of the gene (if present) occurs, and detecting the presence or absence of an amplification product, or detecting the size of the amplification product and comparing the length to a control sample. Deletions and insertions can be detected by a change in size of the amplified product compared to the normal genotype. Point mutations can be identified by hybridizing amplified DNA to normal RNA or antisense DNA sequences.

[0189] Alternatively, mutations in a transporter gene can be directly identified, for example, by alterations in restriction enzyme digestion patterns determined by gel electrophoresis.

[0190] Further, sequence-specific ribozymes (U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,531) can be used to score for the presence of specific mutations by development or loss of a ribozyme cleavage site. Perfectly matched sequences can be distinguished from mismatched sequences by nuclease cleavage digestion assays or by differences in melting temperature.

[0191] Sequence changes at specific locations can also be assessed by nuclease protection assays such as RNase and S1 protection or the chemical cleavage method. Furthermore, sequence differences between a mutant transporter gene and a wild-type gene can be determined by direct DNA sequencing. A variety of automated sequencing procedures can be utilized when performing the diagnostic assays (Naeve, C. W., (1995) Biotechniques 19:448), including sequencing by mass spectrometry (see, e.g., PCT International Publication No. WO 94/16101; Cohen et al., Adv. Chromatogr. 36:127-162 (1996); and Griffin et al., Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 38:147-159 (1993)).

[0192] Other methods for detecting mutations in the gene include methods in which protection from cleavage agents is used to detect mismatched bases in RNA/RNA or RNA/DNA duplexes (Myers et al., Science 230:1242 (1985)); Cotton et al., PNAS 85:4397 (1988); Saleeba et al., Meth. Enzymol. 217:286-295 (1992)), electrophoretic mobility of mutant and wild type nucleic acid is compared (Orita et al., PNAS 86:2766 (1989); Cotton et al., Mutat. Res. 285:125-144 (1993); and Hayashi et al., Genet. Anal. Tech. Appl. 9:73-79 (1992)), and movement of mutant or wild-type fragments in polyacrylamide gels containing a gradient of denaturant is assayed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (Myers et al., Nature 313:495 (1985)). Examples of other techniques for detecting point mutations include selective oligonucleotide hybridization, selective amplification, and selective primer extension.

[0193] The nucleic acid molecules are also useful for testing an individual for a genotype that while not necessarily causing the disease, nevertheless affects the treatment modality. Thus, the nucleic acid molecules can be used to study the relationship between an individual's genotype and the individual's response to a compound used for treatment (pharmacogenomic relationship). Accordingly, the nucleic acid molecules described herein can be used to assess the mutation content of the transporter gene in an individual in order to select an appropriate compound or dosage regimen for treatment. FIG. 3 provides information on SNPs that have been found in the gene encoding the transporter protein of the present invention. SNPs were identified at 42 different nucleotide positions, including a non-synonymous coding SNP at nucleotide position 13529. The change in the amino acid sequence caused by this SNP is indicated in FIG. 3 and can readily be determined using the universal genetic code and the protein sequence provided in FIG. 2 as a reference. Some of the SNPs that are located outside the ORF and in introns may affect gene transcription.

[0194] Thus nucleic acid molecules displaying genetic variations that affect treatment provide a diagnostic target that can be used to tailor treatment in an individual. Accordingly, the production of recombinant cells and animals containing these polymorphisms allow effective clinical design of treatment compounds and dosage regimens.

[0195] The nucleic acid molecules are thus useful as antisense constructs to control transporter gene expression in cells, tissues, and organisms. A DNA antisense nucleic acid molecule is designed to be complementary to a region of the gene involved in transcription, preventing transcription and hence production of transporter protein. An antisense RNA or DNA nucleic acid molecule would hybridize to the mRNA and thus block translation of mRNA into transporter protein.

[0196] Alternatively, a class of antisense molecules can be used to inactivate mRNA in order to decrease expression of transporter nucleic acid. Accordingly, these molecules can treat a disorder characterized by abnormal or undesired transporter nucleic acid expression. This technique involves cleavage by means of ribozymes containing nucleotide sequences complementary to one or more regions in the mRNA that attenuate the ability of the mRNA to be translated. Possible regions include coding regions and particularly coding regions corresponding to the catalytic and other functional activities of the transporter protein, such as ligand binding.

[0197] The nucleic acid molecules also provide vectors for gene therapy in patients containing cells that are aberrant in transporter gene expression. Thus, recombinant cells, which include the patient's cells that have been engineered ex vivo and returned to the patient, are introduced into an individual where the cells produce the desired transporter protein to treat the individual.

[0198] The invention also encompasses kits for detecting the presence of a transporter nucleic acid in a biological sample. Experimental data as provided in FIG. 1 indicates that the transporter proteins of the present invention are expressed in humans in the prostate and testis, as indicated by virtual northern blot analysis. In addition, PCR-based tissue screening panels indicate expression in a mixed brain/heart/kidney/lung/spleen/testis/leukocyte sample. For example, the kit can comprise reagents such as a labeled or labelable nucleic acid or agent capable of detecting transporter nucleic acid in a biological sample; means for determining the amount of transporter nucleic acid in the sample; and means for comparing the amount of transporter nucleic acid in the sample with a standard. The compound or agent can be packaged in a suitable container. The kit can further comprise instructions for using the kit to detect transporter protein mRNA or DNA.

[0199] Nucleic Acid Arrays

[0200] The present invention further provides nucleic acid detection kits, such as arrays or microarrays of nucleic acid molecules that are based on the sequence information provided in FIGS. 1 and 3 (SEQ ID NOS:1 and 3).

[0201] As used herein “Arrays” or “Microarrays” refers to an array of distinct polynucleotides or oligonucleotides synthesized on a substrate, such as paper, nylon or other type of membrane, filter, chip, glass slide, or any other suitable solid support. In one embodiment, the microarray is prepared and used according to the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,832, Chee et al., PCT application WO95/11995 (Chee et al.), Lockhart, D. J. et al. (1996; Nat. Biotech. 14: 1675-1680) and Schena, M. et al. (1996; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 10614-10619), all of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. In other embodiments, such arrays are produced by the methods described by Brown et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,522.

[0202] The microarray or detection kit is preferably composed of a large number of unique, single-stranded nucleic acid sequences, usually either synthetic antisense oligonucleotides or fragments of cDNAs, fixed to a solid support. The oligonucleotides are preferably about 6-60 nucleotides in length, more preferably 15-30 nucleotides in length, and most preferably about 20-25 nucleotides in length. For a certain type of microarray or detection kit, it may be preferable to use oligonucleotides that are only 7-20 nucleotides in length. The microarray or detection kit may contain oligonucleotides that cover the known 5′, or 3′, sequence, sequential oligonucleotides that cover the full length sequence; or unique oligonucleotides selected from particular areas along the length of the sequence. Polynucleotides used in the microarray or detection kit may be oligonucleotides that are specific to a gene or genes of interest.

[0203] In order to produce oligonucleotides to a known sequence for a microarray or detection kit, the gene(s) of interest (or an ORF identified from the contigs of the present invention) is typically examined using a computer algorithm which starts at the 5′ or at the 3′ end of the nucleotide sequence. Typical algorithms will then identify oligomers of defined length that are unique to the gene, have a GC content within a range suitable for hybridization, and lack predicted secondary structure that may interfere with hybridization. In certain situations it may be appropriate to use pairs of oligonucleotides on a microarray or detection kit. The “pairs” will be identical, except for one nucleotide that preferably is located in the center of the sequence. The second oligonucleotide in the pair (mismatched by one) serves as a control. The number of oligonucleotide pairs may range from two to one million. The oligomers are synthesized at designated areas on a substrate using a light-directed chemical process. The substrate may be paper, nylon or other type of membrane, filter, chip, glass slide or any other suitable solid support.

[0204] In another aspect, an oligonucleotide may be synthesized on the surface of the substrate by using a chemical coupling procedure and an ink jet application apparatus, as described in PCT application WO95/251116 (Baldeschweiler et al.) which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. In another aspect, a “gridded” array analogous to a dot (or slot) blot may be used to arrange and link cDNA fragments or oligonucleotides to the surface of a substrate using a vacuum system, thermal, UV, mechanical or chemical bonding procedures. An array, such as those described above, may be produced by hand or by using available devices (slot blot or dot blot apparatus), materials (any suitable solid support), and machines (including robotic instruments), and may contain 8, 24, 96, 384, 1536, 6144 or more oligonucleotides, or any other number between two and one million which lends itself to the efficient use of commercially available instrumentation.

[0205] In order to conduct sample analysis using a microarray or detection kit, the RNA or DNA from a biological sample is made into hybridization probes. The mRNA is isolated, and cDNA is produced and used as a template to make antisense RNA (aRNA). The aRNA is amplified in the presence of fluorescent nucleotides, and labeled probes are incubated with the microarray or detection kit so that the probe sequences hybridize to complementary oligonucleotides of the microarray or detection kit. Incubation conditions are adjusted so that hybridization occurs with precise complementary matches or with various degrees of less complementarity. After removal of nonhybridized probes, a scanner is used to determine the levels and patterns of fluorescence. The scanned images are examined to determine degree of complementarity and the relative abundance of each oligonucleotide sequence on the microarray or detection kit. The biological samples may be obtained from any bodily fluids (such as blood, urine, saliva, phlegm, gastric juices, etc.), cultured cells, biopsies, or other tissue preparations. A detection system may be used to measure the absence, presence, and amount of hybridization for all of the distinct sequences simultaneously. This data may be used for large-scale correlation studies on the sequences, expression patterns, mutations, variants, or polymorphisms among samples.

[0206] Using such arrays, the present invention provides methods to identify the expression of the transporter proteins/peptides of the present invention. In detail, such methods comprise incubating a test sample with one or more nucleic acid molecules and assaying for binding of the nucleic acid molecule with components within the test sample. Such assays will typically involve arrays comprising many genes, at least one of which is a gene of the present invention and or alleles of the transporter gene of the present invention. FIG. 3 provides information on SNPs that have been found in the gene encoding the transporter protein of the present invention. SNPs were identified at 42 different nucleotide positions, including a non-synonymous coding SNP at nucleotide position 13529. The change in the amino acid sequence caused by this SNP is indicated in FIG. 3 and can readily be determined using the universal genetic code and the protein sequence provided in FIG. 2 as a reference. Some of the SNPs that are located outside the ORF and in introns may affect gene transcription.

[0207] Conditions for incubating a nucleic acid molecule with a test sample vary. Incubation conditions depend on the format employed in the assay, the detection methods employed, and the type and nature of the nucleic acid molecule used in the assay. One skilled in the art will recognize that any one of the commonly available hybridization, amplification or array assay formats can readily be adapted to employ the novel fragments of the Human genome disclosed herein. Examples of such assays can be found in Chard, T, An Introduction to Radioimmunoassay and Related Techniques, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1986); Bullock, G. R. et al., Techniques in Immunocytochemistry, Academic Press, Orlando, Fla. Vol. 1 (1982), Vol. 2 (1983), Vol. 3 (1985); Tijssen, P., Practice and Theory of Enzyme Immunoassays: Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1985).

[0208] The test samples of the present invention include cells, protein or membrane extracts of cells. The test sample used in the above-described method will vary based on the assay format, nature of the detection method and the tissues, cells or extracts used as the sample to be assayed. Methods for preparing nucleic acid extracts or of cells are well known in the art and can be readily be adapted in order to obtain a sample that is compatible with the system utilized.

[0209] In another embodiment of the present invention, kits are provided which contain the necessary reagents to carry out the assays of the present invention.

[0210] Specifically, the invention provides a compartmentalized kit to receive, in close confinement, one or more containers which comprises: (a) a first container comprising one of the nucleic acid molecules that can bind to a fragment of the Human genome disclosed herein; and (b) one or more other containers comprising one or more of the following: wash reagents, reagents capable of detecting presence of a bound nucleic acid.

[0211] In detail, a compartmentalized kit includes any kit in which reagents are contained in separate containers. Such containers include small glass containers, plastic containers, strips of plastic, glass or paper, or arraying material such as silica. Such containers allows one to efficiently transfer reagents from one compartment to another compartment such that the samples and reagents are not cross-contaminated, and the agents or solutions of each container can be added in a quantitative fashion from one compartment to another. Such containers will include a container which will accept the test sample, a container which contains the nucleic acid probe, containers which contain wash reagents (such as phosphate buffered saline, Tris-buffers, etc.), and containers which contain the reagents used to detect the bound probe. One skilled in the art will readily recognize that the previously unidentified transporter gene of the present invention can be routinely identified using the sequence information disclosed herein can be readily incorporated into one of the established kit formats which are well known in the art, particularly expression arrays.

[0212] Vectors/Host Cells

[0213] The invention also provides vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules described herein. The term “vector” refers to a vehicle, preferably a nucleic acid molecule, which can transport the nucleic acid molecules. When the vector is a nucleic acid molecule, the nucleic acid molecules are covalently linked to the vector nucleic acid. With this aspect of the invention, the vector includes a plasmid, single or double stranded phage, a single or double stranded RNA or DNA viral vector, or artificial chromosome, such as a BAC, PAC, YAC, OR MAC.

[0214] A vector can be maintained in the host cell as an extrachromosomal element where it replicates and produces additional copies of the nucleic acid molecules. Alternatively, the vector may integrate into the host cell genome and produce additional copies of the nucleic acid molecules when the host cell replicates.

[0215] The invention provides vectors for the maintenance (cloning vectors) or vectors for expression (expression vectors) of the nucleic acid molecules. The vectors can function in procaryotic or eukaryotic cells or in both (shuttle vectors).

[0216] Expression vectors contain cis-acting regulatory regions that are operably linked in the vector to the nucleic acid molecules such that transcription of the nucleic acid molecules is allowed in a host cell. The nucleic acid molecules can be introduced into the host cell with a separate nucleic acid molecule capable of affecting transcription. Thus, the second nucleic acid molecule may provide a trans-acting factor interacting with the cis-regulatory control region to allow transcription of the nucleic acid molecules from the vector. Alternatively, a trans-acting factor may be supplied by the host cell. Finally, a trans-acting factor can be produced from the vector itself. It is understood, however, that in some embodiments, transcription and/or translation of the nucleic acid molecules can occur in a cell-free system.

[0217] The regulatory sequence to which the nucleic acid molecules described herein can be operably linked include promoters for directing mRNA transcription. These include, but are not limited to, the left promoter from bacteriophage X, the lac, TRP, and TAC promoters from E. coli, the early and late promoters from SV40, the CMV immediate early promoter, the adenovirus early and late promoters, and retrovirus long-terminal repeats.

[0218] In addition to control regions that promote transcription, expression vectors may also include regions that modulate transcription, such as repressor binding sites and enhancers. Examples include the SV40 enhancer, the cytomegalovirus immediate early enhancer, polyoma enhancer, adenovirus enhancers, and retrovirus LTR enhancers.

[0219] In addition to containing sites for transcription initiation and control, expression vectors can also contain sequences necessary for transcription termination and, in the transcribed region a ribosome binding site for translation. Other regulatory control elements for expression include initiation and termination codons as well as polyadenylation signals. The person of ordinary skill in the art would be aware of the numerous regulatory sequences that are useful in expression vectors. Such regulatory sequences are described, for example, in Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd. ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., (1989).

[0220] A variety of expression vectors can be used to express a nucleic acid molecule. Such vectors include chromosomal, episomal, and virus-derived vectors, for example vectors derived from bacterial plasmids, from bacteriophage, from yeast episomes, from yeast chromosomal elements, including yeast artificial chromosomes, from viruses such as baculoviruses, papovaviruses such as SV40, Vaccinia viruses, adenoviruses, poxviruses, pseudorabies viruses, and retroviruses. Vectors may also be derived from combinations of these sources such as those derived from plasmid and bacteriophage genetic elements, e.g. cosmids and phagemids. Appropriate cloning and expression vectors for prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts are described in Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd. ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., (1989).

[0221] The regulatory sequence may provide constitutive expression in one or more host cells (i.e. tissue specific) or may provide for inducible expression in one or more cell types such as by temperature, nutrient additive, or exogenous factor such as a hormone or other ligand. A variety of vectors providing for constitutive and inducible expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0222] The nucleic acid molecules can be inserted into the vector nucleic acid by well-known methodology. Generally, the DNA sequence that will ultimately be expressed is joined to an expression vector by cleaving the DNA sequence and the expression vector with one or more restriction enzymes and then ligating the fragments together. Procedures for restriction enzyme digestion and ligation are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0223] The vector containing the appropriate nucleic acid molecule can be introduced into an appropriate host cell for propagation or expression using well-known techniques. Bacterial cells include, but are not limited to, E. coli, Streptomyces, and Salmonella typhimurium. Eukaryotic cells include, but are not limited to, yeast, insect cells such as Drosophila, animal cells such as COS and CHO cells, and plant cells.

[0224] As described herein, it may be desirable to express the peptide as a fusion protein. Accordingly, the invention provides fusion vectors that allow for the production of the peptides. Fusion vectors can increase the expression of a recombinant protein, increase the solubility of the recombinant protein, and aid in the purification of the protein by acting for example as a ligand for affinity purification. A proteolytic cleavage site may be introduced at the junction of the fusion moiety so that the desired peptide can ultimately be separated from the fusion moiety. Proteolytic enzymes include, but are not limited to, factor Xa, thrombin, and enterotransporter. Typical fusion expression vectors include pGEX (Smith et al., Gene 67:31-40 (1988)), pMAL (New England Biolabs, Beverly, Mass.) and pRIT5 (Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) which fuse glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose E binding protein, or protein A, respectively, to the target recombinant protein. Examples of suitable inducible non-fusion E. coli expression vectors include pTrc (Amann et al., Gene 69:301-315 (1988)) and pET 11d (Studier et al., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185:60-89 (1990)).

[0225] Recombinant protein expression can be maximized in host bacteria by providing a genetic background wherein the host cell has an impaired capacity to proteolytically cleave the recombinant protein. (Gottesman, S., Gene Expression Technology: Methods in Enzymology 185, Academic Press, San Diego, Calif. (1990) 119-128). Alternatively, the sequence of the nucleic acid molecule of interest can be altered to provide preferential codon usage for a specific host cell, for example E. coli. (Wada et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 20:2111-2118 (1992)).

[0226] The nucleic acid molecules can also be expressed by expression vectors that are operative in yeast. Examples of vectors for expression in yeast e.g., S. cerevisiae include pYepSec1 (Baldari, et al., EMBO J 6:229-234 (1987)), pMFa (Kurjan et al., Cell 30:933-943(1982)), pJRY88 (Schultz et al., Gene 54:113-123 (1987)), and pYES2 (Invitrogen Corporation, San Diego, Calif.).

[0227] The nucleic acid molecules can also be expressed in insect cells using, for example, baculovirus expression vectors. Baculovirus vectors available for expression of proteins in cultured insect cells (e.g., Sf 9 cells) include the pAc series (Smith et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 3:2156-2165 (1983)) and the pVL series (Lucklow et al., Virology 170:31-39 (1989)).

[0228] In certain embodiments of the invention, the nucleic acid molecules described herein are expressed in mammalian cells using mammalian expression vectors. Examples of mammalian expression vectors include pCDM8 (Seed, B. Nature 329:840(1987)) and pMT2PC (Kaufman et al., EMBO J. 6:187-195 (1987)).

[0229] The expression vectors listed herein are provided by way of example only of the well-known vectors available to those of ordinary skill in the art that would be useful to express the nucleic acid molecules. The person of ordinary skill in the art would be aware of other vectors suitable for maintenance propagation or expression of the nucleic acid molecules described herein. These are found for example in Sambrook, J., Fritsh, E. F., and Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989.

[0230] The invention also encompasses vectors in which the nucleic acid sequences described herein are cloned into the vector in reverse orientation, but operably linked to a regulatory sequence that permits transcription of antisense RNA. Thus, an antisense transcript can be produced to all, or to a portion, of the nucleic acid molecule sequences described herein, including both coding and non-coding regions. Expression of this antisense RNA is subject to each of the parameters described above in relation to expression of the sense RNA (regulatory sequences, constitutive or inducible expression, tissue-specific expression).

[0231] The invention also relates to recombinant host cells containing the vectors described herein. Host cells therefore include prokaryotic cells, lower eukaryotic cells such as yeast, other eukaryotic cells such as insect cells, and higher eukaryotic cells such as mammalian cells.

[0232] The recombinant host cells are prepared by introducing the vector constructs described herein into the cells by techniques readily available to the person of ordinary skill in the art. These include, but are not limited to, calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran-mediated transfection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, transduction, infection, lipofection, and other techniques such as those found in Sambrook, et al. (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual. 2nd, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989).

[0233] Host cells can contain more than one vector. Thus, different nucleotide sequences can be introduced on different vectors of the same cell. Similarly, the nucleic acid molecules can be introduced either alone or with other nucleic acid molecules that are not related to the nucleic acid molecules such as those providing trans-acting factors for expression vectors. When more than one vector is introduced into a cell, the vectors can be introduced independently, co-introduced or joined to the nucleic acid molecule vector.

[0234] In the case of bacteriophage and viral vectors, these can be introduced into cells as packaged or encapsulated virus by standard procedures for infection and transduction. Viral vectors can be replication-competent or replication-defective. In the case in which viral replication is defective, replication will occur in host cells providing functions that complement the defects.

[0235] Vectors generally include selectable markers that enable the selection of the subpopulation of cells that contain the recombinant vector constructs. The marker can be contained in the same vector that contains the nucleic acid molecules described herein or may be on a separate vector. Markers include tetracycline or ampicillin-resistance genes for prokaryotic host cells and dihydrofolate reductase or neomycin resistance for eukaryotic host cells. However, any marker that provides selection for a phenotypic trait will be effective.

[0236] While the mature proteins can be produced in bacteria, yeast, mammalian cells, and other cells under the control of the appropriate regulatory sequences, cell-free transcription and translation systems can also be used to produce these proteins using RNA derived from the DNA constructs described herein.

[0237] Where secretion of the peptide is desired, which is difficult to achieve with multi-transmembrane domain containing proteins such as transporters, appropriate secretion signals are incorporated into the vector. The signal sequence can be endogenous to the peptides or heterologous to these peptides.

[0238] Where the peptide is not secreted into the medium, which is typically the case with transporters, the protein can be isolated from the host cell by standard disruption procedures, including freeze thaw, sonication, mechanical disruption, use of lysing agents and the like. The peptide can then be recovered and purified by well-known purification methods including ammonium sulfate precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cationic exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic-interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography, lectin chromatography, or high performance liquid chromatography.

[0239] It is also understood that depending upon the host cell in recombinant production of the peptides described herein, the peptides can have various glycosylation patterns, depending upon the cell, or maybe non-glycosylated as when produced in bacteria. In addition, the peptides may include an initial modified methionine in some cases as a result of a host-mediated process.

[0240] Uses of Vectors and Host Cells

[0241] The recombinant host cells expressing the peptides described herein have a variety of uses. First, the cells are useful for producing a transporter protein or peptide that can be further purified to produce desired amounts of transporter protein or fragments. Thus, host cells containing expression vectors are useful for peptide production.

[0242] Host cells are also useful for conducting cell-based assays involving the transporter protein or transporter protein fragments, such as those described above as well as other formats known in the art. Thus, a recombinant host cell expressing a native transporter protein is useful for assaying compounds that stimulate or inhibit transporter protein function.

[0243] Host cells are also useful for identifying transporter protein mutants in which these functions are affected. If the mutants naturally occur and give rise to a pathology, host cells containing the mutations are useful to assay compounds that have a desired effect on the mutant transporter protein (for example, stimulating or inhibiting function) which may not be indicated by their effect on the native transporter protein.

[0244] Genetically engineered host cells can be further used to produce non-human transgenic animals. A transgenic animal is preferably a mammal, for example a rodent, such as a rat or mouse, in which one or more of the cells of the animal include a transgene. A transgene is exogenous DNA that is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops and which remains in the genome of the mature animal in one or more cell types or tissues of the transgenic animal. These animals are useful for studying the function of a transporter protein and identifying and evaluating modulators of transporter protein activity. Other examples of transgenic animals include non-human primates, sheep, dogs, cows, goats, chickens, and amphibians.

[0245] A transgenic animal can be produced by introducing nucleic acid into the male pronuclei of a fertilized oocyte, e.g., by microinjection, retroviral infection, and allowing the oocyte to develop in a pseudopregnant female foster animal. Any of the transporter protein nucleotide sequences can be introduced as a transgene into the genome of a non-human animal, such as a mouse.

[0246] Any of the regulatory or other sequences useful in expression vectors can form part of the transgenic sequence. This includes intronic sequences and polyadenylation signals, if not already included. A tissue-specific regulatory sequence(s) can be operably linked to the transgene to direct expression of the transporter protein to particular cells.

[0247] Methods for generating transgenic animals via embryo manipulation and microinjection, particularly animals such as mice, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009, both by Leder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,191 by Wagner et al. and in Hogan, B., Manipulating the Mouse Embryo, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1986). Similar methods are used for production of other transgenic animals. A transgenic founder animal can be identified based upon the presence of the transgene in its genome and/or expression of transgenic mRNA in tissues or cells of the animals. A transgenic founder animal can then be used to breed additional animals carrying the transgene. Moreover, transgenic animals carrying a transgene can further be bred to other transgenic animals carrying other transgenes. A transgenic animal also includes animals in which the entire animal or tissues in the animal have been produced using the homologously recombinant host cells described herein.

[0248] In another embodiment, transgenic non-human animals can be produced which contain selected systems that allow for regulated expression of the transgene. One example of such a system is the cre/loxP recombinase system of bacteriophage P1. For a description of the cre/loxP recombinase system, see, e.g., Lakso et al. PNAS 89:6232-6236 (1992). Another example of a recombinase system is the FLP recombinase system of S. cerevisiae (O'Gorman et al. Science 251:1351-1355 (1991). If a cre/loxP recombinase system is used to regulate expression of the transgene, animals containing transgenes encoding both the Cre recombinase and a selected protein is required. Such animals can be provided through the construction of “double” transgenic animals, e.g., by mating two transgenic animals, one containing a transgene encoding a selected protein and the other containing a transgene encoding a recombinase.

[0249] Clones of the non-human transgenic animals described herein can also be produced according to the methods described in Wilmut, I. et al. Nature 385:810-813 (1997) and PCT International Publication Nos. WO 97/07668 and WO 97/07669. In brief, a cell, e.g., a somatic cell, from the transgenic animal can be isolated and induced to exit the growth cycle and enter Go phase. The quiescent cell can then be fused, e.g., through the use of electrical pulses, to an enucleated oocyte from an animal of the same species from which the quiescent cell is isolated. The reconstructed oocyte is then cultured such that it develops to morula or blastocyst and then transferred to pseudopregnant female foster animal. The offspring born of this female foster animal will be a clone of the animal from which the cell, e.g., the somatic cell, is isolated.

[0250] Transgenic animals containing recombinant cells that express the peptides described herein are useful to conduct the assays described herein in an in vivo context. Accordingly, the various physiological factors that are present in vivo and that could effect ligand binding, transporter protein activation, and signal transduction, may not be evident from in vitro cell-free or cell-based assays. Accordingly, it is useful to provide non-human transgenic animals to assay in vivo transporter protein function, including ligand interaction, the effect of specific mutant transporter proteins on transporter protein function and ligand interaction, and the effect of chimeric transporter proteins. It is also possible to assess the effect of null mutations, that is mutations that substantially or completely eliminate one or more transporter protein functions.

[0251] All publications and patents mentioned in the above specification are herein incorporated by reference. Various modifications and variations of the described method and system of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the above-described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the field of molecular biology or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

1 4 1 1918 DNA Human 1 ggatggagaa caaagaggcg ggaacccctc cacccattcc atccagggag gggcggctcc 60 agccgacgct gttgctggcg acactgagcg cggcctttgg ctcagccttc cagtacggct 120 acaacctctc tgtggtcaac acgccgcaca aggtcttcaa gtcattttac aacgaaacct 180 actttgagcg acacgcaaca ttcatggacg ggaagctcat gctgcttcta tggtcttgca 240 ccgtctccat gtttcctctg ggcggcctgt tggggtcatt gctcgtgggc ctgctggttg 300 atagctgcgg cagaaagggg accctgctga tcaacaacat ctttgccatc atccccgcca 360 tcctgatggg agtcagcaaa gtggccaagg cttttgagct gatcgtcttt tcccgagtgg 420 tgctgggagt ctgtgcaggc atctcctaca gcgcccttcc catgtacctg ggagaactgg 480 cccccaagaa cctgagagac atggtgggaa caatgaccga ggttttcgtc atcgttggag 540 tcttcctagc acagatcttc agcctccagg ccatcttggg caacccggca ggctggccgg 600 tgcttctggc gctcacaggg gtgcccgccc tgctgcagct gctgaccctg cccttcttcc 660 ccgaaagccc ccgctactcc ctgattcaga aaggagatga agccacagcg cgacaagctc 720 tgaggaggct gagaggccac acggacatgg aggccgagct ggaggacatg cgtgcggagg 780 cccgggccga gcgcgccgag catctacaca tctgcgggcg tggaggccgc tcactcccaa 840 tatgtaacgg tgggctctgg cgtcgtcaac atagtgatga ccatcacctc ggctgtcctt 900 gtggagcggc tgggacggcg gcacctcctg ctggccggct acggcatctg cggctctgcc 960 tgcctggtgc tgacggtggt gctcctattc cagagccctc aaggtccatg gaggtgccca 1020 gacatctagg tgcagctcct ccctggggca ggaaggtggg acccgcaggt ggaccccccc 1080 gcacgtgggg ctcctggcct cagcccagac agccctgcct ctccccacag aacagggtcc 1140 ccgagctgtc ctacctcggc atcatctgtg tctttgccta catcgcggga cattccattg 1200 ggcccagtcc tgtcccctcg gtggtgagga ccgagatctt cctgcagtcc tcccggcggg 1260 cagctttcat ggtggacggg gcagcgcact ggctcaccaa cttcatcata ggcttcctgt 1320 tcccatccat ccaggaggcc atcggtgcct acagtttcat catctttgcc ggaatctgcc 1380 tcctcactgc gatttacatc tacttggtta ttccggagac caagggcaaa acatttgtgg 1440 agataaaccg catttttgcc aagagaaaca gggtgaagct tccagaggag aaagaagaaa 1500 ccattgatgc tgggcctccc acagcctctc ctgccaagga aacttccttt tagtggccct 1560 gcatgaagga cgggagccca tattcaaggc ttccttctat gacaatgggc ctcccggccc 1620 caggctctgg ggaggataat agcacgaagg cttttgtcgt tgcccccatt taacttaatt 1680 atggatatta ttaaataccc acaacaatgc atatttagct gagaagttcc aaggctagcc 1740 attgaggaat gacctggagg aaggggccgg cacgtgaatt ttgattggtt aagactcgat 1800 tttccgattc tacattggca ccaaaattta aatgatgtat agatgcactt ttttaaagta 1860 aaacttttca agttccacaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaacactg tcatgccgtt acgtagcg 1918 2 516 PRT Human 2 Met Glu Asn Lys Glu Ala Gly Thr Pro Pro Pro Ile Pro Ser Arg Glu 1 5 10 15 Gly Arg Leu Gln Pro Thr Leu Leu Leu Ala Thr Leu Ser Ala Ala Phe 20 25 30 Gly Ser Ala Phe Gln Tyr Gly Tyr Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asn Thr Pro 35 40 45 His Lys Val Phe Lys Ser Phe Tyr Asn Glu Thr Tyr Phe Glu Arg His 50 55 60 Ala Thr Phe Met Asp Gly Lys Leu Met Leu Leu Leu Trp Ser Cys Thr 65 70 75 80 Val Ser Met Phe Pro Leu Gly Gly Leu Leu Gly Ser Leu Leu Val Gly 85 90 95 Leu Leu Val Asp Ser Cys Gly Arg Lys Gly Thr Leu Leu Ile Asn Asn 100 105 110 Ile Phe Ala Ile Ile Pro Ala Ile Leu Met Gly Val Ser Lys Val Ala 115 120 125 Lys Ala Phe Glu Leu Ile Val Phe Ser Arg Val Val Leu Gly Val Cys 130 135 140 Ala Gly Ile Ser Tyr Ser Ala Leu Pro Met Tyr Leu Gly Glu Leu Ala 145 150 155 160 Pro Lys Asn Leu Arg Asp Met Val Gly Thr Met Thr Glu Val Phe Val 165 170 175 Ile Val Gly Val Phe Leu Ala Gln Ile Phe Ser Leu Gln Ala Ile Leu 180 185 190 Gly Asn Pro Ala Gly Trp Pro Val Leu Leu Ala Leu Thr Gly Val Pro 195 200 205 Ala Leu Leu Gln Leu Leu Thr Leu Pro Phe Phe Pro Glu Ser Pro Arg 210 215 220 Tyr Ser Leu Ile Gln Lys Gly Asp Glu Ala Thr Ala Arg Gln Ala Leu 225 230 235 240 Arg Arg Leu Arg Gly His Thr Asp Met Glu Ala Glu Leu Glu Asp Met 245 250 255 Arg Ala Glu Ala Arg Ala Glu Arg Ala Glu His Leu His Ile Cys Gly 260 265 270 Arg Gly Gly Arg Ser Leu Pro Ile Cys Asn Gly Gly Leu Trp Arg Arg 275 280 285 Gln His Ser Asp Asp His His Leu Gly Cys Pro Cys Gly Ala Ala Gly 290 295 300 Thr Ala Ala Pro Pro Ala Gly Arg Leu Arg His Leu Arg Leu Cys Leu 305 310 315 320 Pro Gly Ala Asp Gly Gly Ala Pro Ile Pro Glu Pro Ser Arg Ser Met 325 330 335 Glu Val Pro Arg His Leu Gly Ala Ala Pro Pro Trp Gly Arg Lys Val 340 345 350 Gly Pro Ala Gly Gly Pro Pro Arg Thr Trp Gly Ser Trp Pro Gln Pro 355 360 365 Arg Gln Pro Cys Leu Ser Pro Gln Asn Arg Val Pro Glu Leu Ser Tyr 370 375 380 Leu Gly Ile Ile Cys Val Phe Ala Tyr Ile Ala Gly His Ser Ile Gly 385 390 395 400 Pro Ser Pro Val Pro Ser Val Val Arg Thr Glu Ile Phe Leu Gln Ser 405 410 415 Ser Arg Arg Ala Ala Phe Met Val Asp Gly Ala Ala His Trp Leu Thr 420 425 430 Asn Phe Ile Ile Gly Phe Leu Phe Pro Ser Ile Gln Glu Ala Ile Gly 435 440 445 Ala Tyr Ser Phe Ile Ile Phe Ala Gly Ile Cys Leu Leu Thr Ala Ile 450 455 460 Tyr Ile Tyr Leu Val Ile Pro Glu Thr Lys Gly Lys Thr Phe Val Glu 465 470 475 480 Ile Asn Arg Ile Phe Ala Lys Arg Asn Arg Val Lys Leu Pro Glu Glu 485 490 495 Lys Glu Glu Thr Ile Asp Ala Gly Pro Pro Thr Ala Ser Pro Ala Lys 500 505 510 Glu Thr Ser Phe 515 3 27359 DNA Human 3 atacctacaa catagtcagg agcaggagca ggagcaggat aaacataaat aaggaccttt 60 cattctctca gtcttgtcat ttacccacct gttaccaccc atgggcaaac acattttccc 120 ccaggtatcc tttttttttt tttttttttt tttgaaacag gttctcgctc tatcacccca 180 ggctggagtg cagtggtgtg atcatgcctc actgcagcct cagcctcctg ttttccagtg 240 atcctcctac ctcagcctcc caagtagctg ggaccacggg ggcatgccac catgcccagc 300 tgatttttgt atttttggta gagatgaggt ttcaccatgt tgccctggct ggtcttgaac 360 tcctgagctc aagcaatcct ccacccactc agcctctcat tgtgctgtgc ttataggcat 420 gaaccaccgc accctggcct tccccaggta tactatgtgt attctgcttt gatcacttct 480 cttaaaggtc atgttaatta aaaaacatgt taatgtttcc atgttcccac atttcataat 540 tatcctttga aacagaagtc tggcattcca atcaattagt tactcctaat ttattcaatc 600 attctctact ttaaaaaaaa aatgctagta gaaatgattc tgaaataagc acctttgtcc 660 aatattttat tgacttattt aacactattt agtgtaatta gaaataataa ctgtgttttt 720 ctgaaagtgt ttaatttgtt ctttccccca aatggacaat tagtccaaat gcacaagagg 780 aggcatatat gaagaaccta ggaacacaca gaaaggaaca gcaaacactg ggatctactt 840 ccggctggag ggtgggagga gggagaggag cagcaaacaa acactgggaa gtgggcttaa 900 tacctgggtg atgaaataat ctgtacaaca aacccccgtg gcacgagttt acctatgtaa 960 caaaccttca catataccct gaacctaaaa taaaagttaa aaaaaaaaaa aaagccaggt 1020 gcggtggctc atgcctgtaa gcccagcact ttgggaggcc aaggcaggcg gatcactaga 1080 ggtcaggagt tctagaccag cctggccaac atggtgaaac ctcatctcta ctaaaaacac 1140 acaaaaaaag gctgggtacg gtggctcacg cctgtaatcc cagcactttg ggaggccgag 1200 gcgggcagat catgaagtca ggagatccag gccatcctgg ctaacacggt gaaaccccgt 1260 ctctactaaa aatacaaaaa aaaaattagc caggcatggt ggcaggcacc tgtggtccca 1320 gctactcagg aggctgagac aggagaatgg cgtgaacccg ggaggcagag cttgcagtga 1380 gctgagattg cgccaccgca ctccagcctg ggcgacaaag cgagactcca cctccaaaaa 1440 aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaac agctgggtgt ggcggcacgt gcctataatc ccggctactt 1500 gggaagctaa ggcaggagaa tagcttgagc ccaggaagcc gaggttgcag tgagctgaga 1560 ttgcgccact gcactccagc ctgggcaaca aaggaagacc ctgtctcaaa aaaaaaagag 1620 gcatacatgg aaaaatgaca cagaaaaagc atcctagatc caggtcacag cctcactggg 1680 tctctgaaag tcctcatttc tgcggaccaa tgtcaggcaa tgttttttct ctctccttgg 1740 tgcaactagg gagctttcgg cttggggctt ggtgggtgca aagacgaaat tcgtgctgtg 1800 tatgatttgt gcactggcaa cgtgtgtctt atcaacattt ccaaggagaa tttgctcctg 1860 gggaaagtca gcagggtcca gagagcaaaa ggatcataaa gccaggtagg cccaggggag 1920 aaacagccgg tctttaggtg gctggcgcag agcaggtgtc acttgggagg tagagcacac 1980 ctgttctccc acctgaacaa ggatggagaa caaagaggcg ggaacccctc cacccattcc 2040 atccagggag ggggtaagtg ccaagactag gaacctgtca ctgtccctct cccaccagct 2100 gtgcagacct gtggagggag gtgaaggccg tggaatgctt ttagcaagga gcgggtagcg 2160 tgcttccttt ttcttcagga taaccaggcc tgggagagcc atgtggagaa gcagctatgc 2220 tcaaacctca tggctcagac atgggccagg gtggctgagc gaatgctggg agagcggatg 2280 gtgctggaga tgcctctctc ccttccaccc ctgctcccct ccgcttcccc tacccttaaa 2340 gatcgagggg agatggcctc tgaagaatgc ccgaatcctg cccttctgtc tggttgttcc 2400 tggatgtgca gagctacggg ctgtgggcag ccaggcagct aagtgtgagg gttggggtga 2460 ggacatgtgg aacaggagtg aggggtggag ggggcagtgg ggagggggca tgcaccaggg 2520 ccttggctct aggacatggt cagagaccct gcccacctgc tcctcagact ttggccctca 2580 ggccagttcc cctccaagct gccctgggtg ttgtggcaac catggaaagc ctggccctga 2640 gcacaggcga ctgccgggat tttcctaagg gcctgttcta gaggcagagg caagcaatga 2700 gtccctctgt ctgggatgct cttccccccg atgcttacac agctgctccc tctcatccat 2760 tctggtcccg gctcaaaggg cgcctgctca gagaggcctt ccctgccctg cccaccctac 2820 tgaacacagt ctctcattcc tcacaggctg ctaccccacc catcacccta ttttattgtc 2880 ctcacagcat tctagctatt tggaattatc atctttgtct ttcttggacg gggtgggctc 2940 ccctcactag aaagtgagct tcttaaaggc agtgctttgc tgggcctttt tcctaaagca 3000 tcccctactt cacacttggc ctccagggcc tagtacaggg ccaggcacgt agcagatgct 3060 cagatacatc ctcaaggagg gaatgaatgc gtgcagagac ctcagccccc aaaagcccca 3120 gccctgcgcc acctcctcct cttttccggg ggcacggcct gggatccccc atcccccact 3180 tccagcccag gctggaggga ggtggaggcc cagccactcc acttcccgag gcccaagccc 3240 acagcgtccc gaccttggac ttgtctccta cagcggctcc agccgacgct gttgctggcg 3300 acactgagcg cggcctttgg ctcagccttc cagtacggct acaacctctc tgtggtcaac 3360 acgccgcaca aggtgggcac aaggtgggca caaggtgggc cgggcagcag ctgaccgggg 3420 tcgtgggtgg aaggtagccg ccatcttcct ccgtggaggc tgccatcttg cctgtaggag 3480 gcgccatctt gcctttggga gcagccagct tgccctagta ccctggatgc tcacccctgg 3540 agaccagggc gtggcaggag gtgtttcccc ctggagtgtc gtcctttccg ggcacattgg 3600 gatgctgggg gacctgttcc attttccagc ccagtctttt tgggcctcag gtcccactgc 3660 tctcaccttg ggtaggcccc ttgttgattg gaaagagaat ggggtcaaag attgaactct 3720 gtggcattta gggattgggg caaaggggaa aaaaggaaaa agagaagggg cccttgcagg 3780 tgtggaagac cctgagggca gaatgtcccc aaaacctagt aaaggatgag agtcaaggag 3840 ggagggacag cctgtgctga tgagctcaga tgaggactga gaactgacta caggcttgac 3900 cttggtatac gtctatgctt acgcttgtat acatatatta gcatgtctac agacactgta 3960 ttacatttgt ttgtgtatta cgtatatata catatattag tgtacttaca attattacca 4020 tggatggaac ctccgagtca agcaatgtac catcacttaa tcacatttaa tgctaacaca 4080 ttctttataa ggtacatctt gtttccataa ctgatgagga aattaaggtt tctggaggtt 4140 ctgtaacttg cctgaagtca cacaattagt aaaaatattt cctgggctgg gagcggtggc 4200 tcacgcctgc aatcccagca ctttgggagg ctgaggtggg tggatcacct gatcacctga 4260 aatcaggagt tcaagaccag cctggccaac atggtgaaac ctcatctcta ctaaaaatcc 4320 aaaaattagc caggcatggt ggcgggtatc tgtaattcca gctactcggg aggctgagac 4380 aggagaatca cttgaacccg ggaatcagag gttgcagtga gccaagatca tgccactgca 4440 ctccagcctg ggtgacagag tgagacttca tctcaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaagaag 4500 aatatttcct atggtgccta ctggcagagt aagtcgtaag tctctcaaaa gtaaaatttt 4560 tttttctttt cttttctctt tttttttaat agagacaggg tctccctatg ttggccaggt 4620 tgctcttgaa cccttggcct caagcaatcc tcccgcctcg gcctcccaaa gtgccaggat 4680 tacaggtgtg agccattccc agccaaaagt aaattttttt tttttgagac ggagtctcgc 4740 tcctgttgcc caggctggag tgcagtgccg caatctcggc tcactgcaag ctccacctcc 4800 caggttcacg ccattctcct gcctcagcct cctgagtagc tgggactaca ggcgcccgcc 4860 accacgccca gctaattttt tgtattttta gtagaaacag ggtttcactg tgttagccag 4920 ggtggtctcg atctcctgac ttcatgatct gcccgcctca acctcccaaa gtgccgggat 4980 tacgggcgtg agccactgcg tccagccaaa agtaaatttt ttaacagtga ttttgtaaca 5040 atctttttgt tcagcctagt ttctcatttc aacccatcat atagtagatt ttttgattct 5100 caggtaatag tagggaatca gtgggtttaa ctgtgtctta taggtgttag cagaaaaacc 5160 tctctgtaca atgacaagtg gccactgaga acactttctc atttctcatg aactgcccaa 5220 tattcttagc tgtggatggg gcaatgtttt ccaggtcttc aagtcatttt acaacgaaac 5280 ctactttgag cgacacgcaa cattcatgga cgggaagctc atgctgcttc tatggtcttg 5340 caccgtctcc atgtttcctc tgggcggcct gttggggtca ttgctcgtgg gcctgctggt 5400 tgatagctgc ggcaggtaaa cagaaggtgc actgctccca cttaaaattc atgctagtaa 5460 gccacactgt ctctgggcat ttgtgcacct ggtggggaga cgtgtgaccc tgaaaatcag 5520 gagatctgaa gtctagtctc cgcttggcca cagtcatcat gaccttaaac cagtccctaa 5580 atgtctctgg gatttctttc ctaggtagtt gcatgggaaa agcattccct tccgtcacct 5640 gccacaggtg cagcctttga gatcaaggtt cttgacggtg cttagcttag tgccttgtaa 5700 gcacttccag tgggtgttca gtaaatgctc gtttatcagg tttcattccg gggtcaggtg 5760 accatggctc caagttctaa gcgctgcagc ctctccccgc gtgtctttgc cagagtttgt 5820 tactgaggct ggggtcaggc tgagtcacgc tgccggccac tgtctcatag atacgagatt 5880 gtttggaaat gaagactggg caggtctttg aactttgctt ggcttacaca gattcactaa 5940 tcattcttcc taagcccagg tgctccaaag acgtgactcc acagataagg aaagatgcac 6000 aggccaaggt tcccaggagg gcaaagcatg agcctgggct caggatgagg cctggtggca 6060 ttcccttagg tcagcccact cattcggact cacagttaca cttgggcatg gtgtgccagg 6120 ttagacagct tgcaggagtg actggaaggc cctctagtga aaagtcactc aaaaaaccag 6180 agcaattcca ttttcaggca tagaaaaaaa tagcgctgat tgaaaattaa ttatctatta 6240 attaatgcaa gattcatagg acctcttctt gcatatactt gatcgacaat taatttgcca 6300 tacattatgc gctggaaaga agaaacaatt cactctaatg taactatacc ataattcaag 6360 cttttttttt tggtcatcca gactgtgatg ttctcagcca gaccaagagt gtttggactg 6420 ttctggaagc ccagtcttgg cctccacttc cttgtctgaa cccattttcc agatgaagag 6480 cctgagtcca ggaatgtggt ggtgccagcc ttgcccagtg gggtcctgac agccccagcc 6540 tccccttata gtcatcagga agggctggga gtccagagaa gggtgggaac gtgtcggggc 6600 tgcttagtct ttttgggcct cctggctggc tgaccctccc cgtgatgggg gatgtgctct 6660 ggtggctgct cctgaaggct gtggcagccc cagggagaga aaagtggcct gagaacacca 6720 gcctgcttgt ctgtggactc cctggccagt cctcagtgtt gccgacctgg gatatcttca 6780 tagagtcctc accacccact ccctgctctt ggcaccagaa cctcgccttc ctggcttcct 6840 cactgagtgc actcactcag ggtcccagcg gtcctcaaag atgtgtgcaa agtgtgagac 6900 aatcacaaag gtagtcctgg ggctgctgac agcttcatca cccccagacc tgtaggggtg 6960 tgaggaggga gcacctccac ctggaggtgg agagagaaga aataaaaaat gaataccagg 7020 ctgggcacgg gggctcgcgc cagtaatccc agcactttgg gaggctgagg tgagccaatc 7080 acttcaggct aagagttcga gaccagccag gccaacatgg tgaaactcca tctctactaa 7140 aaatacaaaa attagctggg catggtggcg catgcctgta atcccagcta cttgggaagc 7200 tgaggcaaga gaattgcttg aacccgggag gcggagtgta ttagtccatt ttcacgctgc 7260 tgataaagac atacccgaga ctaggcaatt tacaaaagaa agaggtttaa tggactcaca 7320 gttccacgtg gctgggaaag cctcacaatc atggcggaag gcaaaggagg ggcaagttac 7380 atcttccatg aatggcagca ggcaaagaga gagcttgtgc agaaatactc ttccttataa 7440 aaccatcaga cctggtgaga cttattcact atcacgagaa cagcactggg aagacctgcc 7500 accaggtccc tcccacacat gtgggaattt aagatgagat ttgggtgagg acacagccaa 7560 accatatcac ggaggtttca gtgagccgag atcccaccat tgcactctag cctgggcgac 7620 agagcaagac tccatctcaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaagagaat atcaggatgc accagccagc 7680 aaccccacag ctcgggagct ctctgccctc tttctggtcc actgcccatt cttctcctgt 7740 gcaaaaccca agccaaaggc gggggggtgg gggggggcac aggagccatt gctgcaagtt 7800 ggcaggggac ctagagcaca gagtcaagca gatgagtgga tcatgaaggc agcaggacgc 7860 acctggcata gcgctgtttt tcaggcactc cctctccttc tcaggcttgt ggtttttcag 7920 ccttggaagg gatcttagaa atcatgtagt cccattctgc accccactga ttgtaagaat 7980 tccctgttca acgttcctga cagtcatcgt gtctagtcta gaaaccacca gcgacagctt 8040 gaataccacc agtgatggga agctctctac ctcctgggac agcccattct ttgttcctgc 8100 cctccccttt gcaggcagct ccgatcgtta gaatgctccc ctccccagct tctaccccca 8160 ctgaccccaa gtcttccttc ctgggacgtc tgcccattcg ccccttcttc ccatctgtct 8220 taatcagttc aggctgctac aaccacagac ttaaacaaca gacatttatc ttctcacagt 8280 tctgcaggat agaaattcaa gatcaaggta ccagcagatc tgtttcctgg tgagggcctt 8340 ctttctggct tgcagacagc tttcttctgg ctgtgtcttt tttctttttc tttttctttt 8400 ttttgagttg gagtcttgct ctgtggctct ggatggagtg cagtggcacg atctcggctc 8460 actgcaacct ctgcctcccg gattcaagtg attctcctgc ctcagcctcc cgagtagctg 8520 agattacagg catgtgccac cacgcctggc tgacttttgt ttctttagta gagatgggat 8580 ttcaccatgt tagccaggct ggtctcgaac tccagacctc aagtgatccg cccacctcag 8640 cctcccaaag tgctgggttt ataggcttga tccaccatgc ccagcctggc tgtgtcttca 8700 cggggcagaa aaagagagtg gtttcttgta tgtctcttcc tatcccatcg tgagggcccc 8760 acatgaccta ttcacctccc agaggtccct cctgctgatc ccatcacact ggggttaagg 8820 ccttcaacat aggaatttgg gggacaccat tcagtccacg gccccctgct tcagctcttt 8880 ctcgggcaca ttccccgcgc ctctgtagtg actgcccgca gaataggagc tggtgttggg 8940 agggcttccg cggcctccac gcacccctgc cctctgggct cactgtcttt gcagaaaggg 9000 gaccctgctg atcaacaaca tctttgccat catccccgcc atcctgatgg gagtcagcaa 9060 agtggccaag gcttttgagc tgatcgtctt ttcccgagtg gtgctgggag tctgtgcagg 9120 tacctggggc ccaggctccg gctcagcctt gggggaaggg tctgtttggc caaggctgga 9180 agcaggagca gatgaggtgt ctgcctggct ctgcctcttt tcatttcaag acatcctccc 9240 atctgcatcc ccaggccctt gcaagcctca tgcttgtttt tcttaattaa ttaattagtt 9300 aatctttttt tagagacaga gcctcactgt gttgcccagg ctgatctcaa actcctgggc 9360 tcaagtgatc ctcctgtctc ggcctcccaa agtcctggga ttacaggtat gagccactgt 9420 acctggccaa gcctcacgct tactagcccc ttccctttat ttatggatct ttagaaacac 9480 actttcacct tgaagtacaa ataaccaata aggttttaca aggtatcgtc ccaggaagat 9540 ggacaattta aactcagtag tttcttaact acagtaattt cttctatgaa taaaagttag 9600 acaagcaatc tgtgctttag aaaaatcaga aaatagacca aagcaaaagt tttatcgtta 9660 agtcccaggg acacacggag gcctaggctc ctcccctgta acaagcggcc cagcccggtg 9720 gctagaaagg aaaaggtctc ctcatcacat cctggtgact cccccgtggg ggctgaggat 9780 tctggaggga ttttggtgta agtccaaact aaacagtcga ggttggccga gctccatctc 9840 cacggagggg ctgacagcat ggagaagccc cgggattagg aaacggaatt gaattgcatc 9900 tcagattctg cgtttgcggt ttgcctgccc tgatttctgc tgtgcccaaa ccaggcatct 9960 cctacagcgc ccttcccatg tacctgggag aactggcccc caagaacctg agaggcatgg 10020 tgggaacaat gaccgaggtt ttcgtcatcg ttggagtctt cctagcacag atcttcagcc 10080 tccaggccat cttgggcaac ccggcaggta accggcagcc gcagaggtca cgctaggtcc 10140 agtctctcgt tcggctgtgc caggtgttac tgacggatcg agtcagatga gacccgagag 10200 atgattttag ggtcaggtgt tgggcagtgt ggtgggcaaa gggatgggtg acgtggtcgg 10260 ggctgttttg gtgagtgatg gcgacaaatc gtgcttagga atgggaatcg ggctcagagg 10320 caggtagggg ttttgctata aagggaagga gagaagttgg ggaagtgagg tcgagagaag 10380 aggtttcttt caagccatga aaagtgtcag cataatttgg ctgccatagg aatggtccag 10440 tacagaggga agtcaatgca gggcaagcag gttcacagcc accgtctctg tcactgggtg 10500 gctgttttct tctggcggcc tctatcttcc cagtgaatta ggaggcaagg ccattgcctg 10560 agagcgagtg ggggtcgtgg tggagattta ggagagagga gtgtggccct ctgaaggtct 10620 gctgaaaaat cactgacacg aagccgattg attaatagaa aaggcatgca aacatattta 10680 accagattcg cagagccttc agagtgaaga gccagagata gaggggaaat tgtaccgttt 10740 tagtccaggc tcaacagagt acggacagcc gagtagtaaa tagcattgga caaaaagggt 10800 ctgatccgac gtaaatggac tgagtgggga gaccccgcga ggcctgtctg tgtaggtcct 10860 tcttggcctc tgtacagcct tccttctggg tgtggggcag gaccctctgc agaatggggg 10920 ccttttatga cctacagcca acagcattgg tcagagattt tccttctggc tagttttgtt 10980 gttgttgttg ttgttttgtt gttgttgttt tgaggcaggg tctcaccctg tcacccaggc 11040 tggagtgcaa tggcgcgatc tcagctcact gcaacttccg cttcccgggt tcaagcagtt 11100 ctcctgcctc agcctcctga gtagctggga ttacaagcga gcgccaccac gcccagctaa 11160 ttttgtattt ttagtaaaga taggatttct ccatgttggc caggatggtc tcgaactcct 11220 gacctcaggt gatccacccg tatggccagt ttttacctag aatattttta ggttttatgg 11280 aactggtttt ggggaaaggg gatccggttt gtatgacctg cccaggaatc ctgactaggg 11340 atgctagttt ctagggttag cctcgggggg agtgggactg agacaggggg acaggagaag 11400 gtcagagaaa aacttgcttc tgagggcgct gctgaggcct tcattttggg gtattgtttt 11460 aaagccccaa caggagaaag tgagagacac tcatggaggg tggagggaaa gaggataaga 11520 ggatggacca ccaggcgggc ctgaatgaat gcggccagca ataaaagccc aggaacccag 11580 tggggtttct cctttttctc tctttttctc tttcccttct ttcctttttg ttttccttcc 11640 ttccttcctc tctcctttcc ttccttcctt ccttccttcc tctctctctt cttccctccc 11700 tccctccttc ccttccttcc ttccttcctg gtctcactct gtcacccagg ctggagtgca 11760 gtggtgcgat catagctcac tgcagccttg acttcccagg ctcaagcgat cctcccactt 11820 cagcttccca agttgctggg actacaggca cacaccacca tgcccagctc tttttttcta 11880 tttttgttat agagacaagg gtctcactat gttgtccagg ctgatctgta actcctgggc 11940 tcaagtaatc ctcctgcctc cgcctcccaa agtgaaggga ttacaggcat gagccactat 12000 gcccggccgg ggttttttac agacatttct gaatgaccca aattctgcac atattcctta 12060 atgggtggat ttatgtcttt gtggtcccca cagtaccctg aagaggttca gagactcaga 12120 acctggaggg tgctccatga aagatcgtta acagtaatga ttcctaaact cccagagccg 12180 ctgagtatta aatcgtcaat tagagagaca tcagctgggg aatccaccgt gcatgacgct 12240 tagcacctgt gcctcattca gccctcgcca cttcttgcct gaggctcaga gacattaaag 12300 aacttgtcag ctgggtgcag tggctcatgc ccagcatttt gggaggccaa ggcaggagga 12360 tcatttgagc ccaagagttc acgaccagcc tgggcaacat agcaagactc tgtctctact 12420 aaaaattaaa aaaaaaaaaa tgagccaggt gcggtaatgc acgcgtgtag ttccagccac 12480 tcaggaagct gtggtgggag gatcacatga gcctgggaga ttgaggttgc agtgggctat 12540 gatcgcacca ttgcacttcg gcttggctga tagagctaga ctctgtctca aaaaaaaaaa 12600 aaaaaaagaa cttgtccact tcccaccata ccagcagggg tgggaggcag acggagaccc 12660 tgttctctta gtggaatctc agttcccctc cttaggccaa gccatccaga aggagctcac 12720 tcagacccag cgcagggtcc aggccctgcc ctaccatggc cctaatgagg cagagattat 12780 cccctttcct gctataaaag taggaacaag actgagctca ttttctccgg ggttcaagtg 12840 tttaaatcat tgcctattct ttagagaaac ggtgttcttc ctgcaaaata attaatgacg 12900 tgtaaatttg tataactctc atgattccct ccgttttgaa tgtggaaacc atttgtagga 12960 gtaccctggt gagaatgaag tccccacagt ccttggttca cacataggag cgtgaccttc 13020 ggagcacagt ggtaggtggg ccagggggtg cccaggcccc gggatcctga gtccttggct 13080 ccttgcaggc tggccggtgc ttctggcgct cacaggggtg cccgccctgc tgcagctgct 13140 gaccctgccc ttcttccccg aaagcccccg ctactccctg attcagaaag gagatgaagc 13200 cacagcgcga caaggtatga agtcgccggc tactctccca ggccctgccc accccggggg 13260 ccaggcagag acacggtcag ggccacagtc agggtcgcca tgggtcaggg gtgagagctg 13320 ggagctgaac ggggtggggg ggtggcaact ggggcacaac caaggtcagg tcagggaatg 13380 gtgagctcag ggccagcatg ggggcttggg gcccagcctg cagggagacg gccctctgag 13440 cgggtggttc tgctttctgc agctctgagg aggctgagag gccacacgga catggaggcc 13500 gagctggagg acatgcgtgc ggaggcccgg gccgagcgcg ccgagggcca cctgtctgtg 13560 ctgcacctct gtgccctgcg gtccctgcgc tggcagctcc tctccatcat cgtgctcatg 13620 gccggccagc agctgtcggg catcaatgcg gtatgtggga cggtggccag gcagggagac 13680 agatgaagca gacccaggct tcatggatag caacacacag ttccacccac agaggcctgg 13740 cctggcagtg gggccaggat cagtccaggc agagccagat gtcaggaaga aacctcactc 13800 ctctctgcct ccgtgctctg cctctcccca catgccagct tcatttttct ctgtttccca 13860 gtccccagaa ggaatgcctc ctgccaatag tcctttccct tctatacaag agaccagcta 13920 gactgagatg agctgaggtc tcctgggtcc aagctcaggt caccaggcct gggttggtag 13980 gcccagcctg tgtcaggagc ccatcttggg cccacttgtc tgtgatgttt gtggcatcgc 14040 tttctgcgac cgtggctctt tggctgtaac tgtatctaac catggtgtga gggaagggtg 14100 gagatctgac agaagctaaa acactggaga ttgggtgggt gacccagttg ctccagtggc 14160 gtgtcgggaa gaggtggcct tggcctcagg gattcatgga tgtttaacca gtgatcgtgg 14220 gagggtagat ggcccaggtg ggagccacca gatgtggaat agcacacgtg gcctttcaaa 14280 gggctgtttg tgccaatgtc cttggcatgg ggccagaaga cagactcaac ttgcggttgg 14340 cttggcccag agtgagaggt aagaagtcat tctttgggat ctgagctctt agagtaactg 14400 aatgatggag ggaaaagtgc tcttggaggt cgtatggtct gacttccatt ttatagacgc 14460 caaacctgag gcccagagag ggaggagctg cgaccctgga ttccagggca gcgccgggct 14520 ccaccctggt gtcccgactc caggtcaggc ctctttttcc caccacctgc taccctcttc 14580 ctgtcccagg gtccccaacc caggcttgca gaactgtgtg tggcttgagt tgagaaagtt 14640 aagccagcgt cctgggtctt ccggcctgtc ctgacagccc tgtgtttttg tttagatcaa 14700 ctactatgcg gacaccatct acacatctgc gggcgtggag gccgctcact cccaatatgt 14760 aacggtgggc tctggcgtcg tcaacatagt gatgaccatc acctcggtga gtgagcagga 14820 ggcatccttc ctgctggagg gtctctggcc aggtgccgcc aggcagacag gagccccaca 14880 gagtgaactg agtgctggtg gccctggtcc tggggtcatt taagggacat ggactttagg 14940 atgcacacat actaactacc tgcatgactt tgaccagaaa actcaaaatt ccttcagagc 15000 cggccgggcg cggcggctca cacttgtaat cccagcactt cggaaggcca aggcgagcag 15060 atcacttgag gtcagggagt ttgagaccag cctggccaac atgatgaaac ccagtctcta 15120 ctaaaaatac aaaaaaatta gccaggtgtg gtggcacaca cttgtaatcc cagcactttg 15180 ggagactgag gcaggtggat gacttgaggt caggagtttg agaccagcct ggtcaacatg 15240 gtgaaacccc atctctatta aaaaatacaa aaatgagctg ggcatggtgg tgggtacctg 15300 taatgtcagc tacttgggag gccgagtcag gagaatcact tgaacttggg aggtggagat 15360 tgcagtgagc agggagatgg caccactgca ctccagcctg ggtgacaaga gtgagactct 15420 gtctcaaaaa caacaacaac aacaaagaaa aaccttcaga tccaagtttc ttcctttgta 15480 aaaatcatta tggtgactgc aatacatggt attcaaatgc aggtacccct ttttgttggt 15540 gcagtttcat gatttcagag tttagtattt aaagtctgag ctacttacgc tttgatatat 15600 atgttgcatg aaaaagggtc agatgatcat ggcattcctt tccctagacc attttcaagt 15660 tatctcctga ttattttgat tcctatttct tgagttgcca gtgatggtaa acattttcaa 15720 gaaagttatc tattatttgt attttcccca gagctagttt aagttccagt aaactctcag 15780 aaggtttaga agggcaggga gggagaagtt aaggaaaaca gtgggagagg ctgacaggaa 15840 aattaaggga agaggacaga ggtccccagg ctgaagtctc aaccccttcc tcctgctgga 15900 tttctgtggc cccatcccca gttttcccct ggggcaggat ccatccttta tcctcagagt 15960 cctcctcctt ggggataaat gaccataact aggacctgct tcaccatcat cctacctgga 16020 gcaacccaag ccagaaaaat accctttccc tctccctgga ggaacagcat ctgggaacca 16080 ggcatacagc aggaaattga cagtatttcc ctgatttttg gggtgcactt cgctcccatc 16140 ctgaatggca gtgatagtct gtctgttggg atgttgggag gacatgagtc agctaacatg 16200 agtcaagggg ctgtacaggg ccggctctgg tcagccatta gggatggagt agaatggaaa 16260 tggtattaga agtagaaaag gagccaggtg tggtggctca tgcctgtaat tcctgcactt 16320 tgggaggttg aggcgggcgg atcacctgac gtcaggagtt cgagaccagc ctggccaaca 16380 tggtgaaacc ccatctgtac tgaaaataca aaaattagcc gggcgtgata gcacatgcct 16440 gtaatcccag ctactcggga gactgaggca ggagaattgc ttgtacccgg gaggcggagg 16500 ttgcagtgag ccacggttgc accacagcac tccagcctgg gtgacagagt gagactccac 16560 caaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaagaagaag aagaagaagt agaaaaggaa ggaagaagtc 16620 gaaagaatgc tgatcacagg gagtgtggcc tgggcttggt tgttggagaa ggagctggct 16680 gagtggaggg gtcagtccat caggtggaaa agtggagaga tgaggggccc cgcatgatgt 16740 gagcccagat tccagatggc ctcaatgtcg agtggagccc cagagaatag gagggggcta 16800 tttttattct tattcttttt atttatttat tttttaaaca tagagacagg gtcttactat 16860 gttgacccgg ctggtttcga actcctgagc tcaatcaatc ctcctgtctc ggcctcccaa 16920 agcgctgaga ttacaggtgt gagccactgt gcccagccca ggggctattt ttaaatgtag 16980 gttttattct tattcaggta tggtgaggcc aacagatcag gaggtggcta ctgctggaaa 17040 gacagtttgt tcctcacaga tcccatgagg agggtgcggt ccacgccatt ccgggcctgc 17100 ggggaagccc cagggttggt caggaagcag aggcatgaag gggaagtgtg aggatgaacc 17160 tttactgtgg ttcccacaga aaggaatggg tgaggcagag cgagcaggtt taggagtagc 17220 tggtgtgaat aatttcctca gggtcgggga ccacaggggc tgtaccagct gtctggcccc 17280 tggcccccag ggtgttaggg caggtgatgc tggccttgcg tgtgaaagct cagcaaagga 17340 agacctgggg tgtgggcctg cattgttggt ttgcagatga aagaggcact cactcccaga 17400 cagcggtttg tttgctatca gtggggtggg aagggcagtc cctccagggc cataaaggtc 17460 ccaagatgtc aaagcatcaa acacagaaac tagaaaatgt ggttattcta gtgggtagca 17520 aggggtgcag ggagccaaga tccaggaggt ctggaaatga atgaccagaa caaggaaggg 17580 tggtggtgaa gagcatgaat gtctgaccca tgtcaaatca gcggcctgca tcccacatgc 17640 aggcagcagg ggtaagaaag gggcacctaa aaggtgacgc acggtggctc acgcctgtaa 17700 tcccagcact ttgggaggcc gaggcaggag gatcacttga ggccaggagt tcgagaccag 17760 cctggccaac atggtgaaac ctcgtctcta cgagaaatac aaaacttagc cgggcatggt 17820 ggcaggtgcc tgtaatccca gctacttggg agctgaggta ggagaatcac ttgaacctgg 17880 gaggcagagg ttgcagtgag ctgagatcgc accactgcac tccagcctgg gcagcaagag 17940 caaaactccg tttaaaaaaa aagaaagaaa gacaaaagaa agaaaggggc acctaagagg 18000 ggcccacaaa aggaagtgga ggctcggccc aagaaccgtg ggcgccaggc caaggcggct 18060 tctcactgtc ccccttcccc tccaggctgt ccttgtggag cggctgggac ggcggcacct 18120 cctgctggcc ggctacggca tctgcggctc tgcctgcctg gtgctgacgg tggtgctcct 18180 attccaggtc tgacctcatt tcctgccccc tgggtgggga gtcatgggga gggtgggagg 18240 tcccctgact gaaccgggcc cgctgcacca agtggttggt tctgagtccc actgatggca 18300 tgcatcctgc ctggaaaagt actttgcaat gccccatcct gaagtgaatg tcacagatgg 18360 cttcatttac ctacacctgc acatgcaaat aagtaaccgg atagatggtc cagctgtcat 18420 gggaaagaga aacaaggagg acagtttgca ataaaatatg tgcttcaatg cgtaaatgca 18480 aggatgccac cgcattagaa aacatctatg ggcggtgaac aggtgtgggt taaggaaaga 18540 ccagaagtca ccccattcga gaggtagaag gaggctgagc acagtggctc actcctgcaa 18600 tcctagcact ttgggaggcc aaggcaggag gacccattga gcccaggagc tcaagaccag 18660 tctgagcaac atggtgagac cccatctcta caaaaaatac aaaacgtttt ctgggtgtgg 18720 tggtgtgcac ctgtagtccc agctactcag gaagctgagg tgggaggatc acctgagcct 18780 gggaggtcaa ggctgcagtg agccatgatc gcaccattgt actccagcct gggggacagt 18840 gagaccctgt ctcaaaaaag aaaaaacaaa acaaaactac gaatcatttt tcagtaagac 18900 taaaacacag cagaccaccc aaacaagaag tacatcattt taatttgcag tgttctcagc 18960 ctgtatgtat tatccacgtt ctacggaagt gatgaaaata cgtggtgtgt catgatataa 19020 aatctctaaa aagcaaccag cattctgtgt ctccgaggca gcctctttgc tgttgcttgt 19080 gcaggaacgg cagcactgtc ctgagccctt tcaaatggaa aatatatcag caacgcaatt 19140 gcacatgagt acaagaatgt gtgaggagct cattctgtca tgtagagcca agatctttgc 19200 tcttttcctt cttttccaag ctgccctctc tgcaatgact tgtccttaac caccagagag 19260 tgcagagagc tccatgtggg aaagagctgg gggattcagg gaatgagcag gaggccaggg 19320 cctgcgggga aagcaaggcc tggcgacgaa cagtgttagt gatgctcata aatcaattaa 19380 agtttccttc ggaaagaact ttcttcttta attttaaaac cagtataagt tctcagccag 19440 acgcagtggc tcacacctgt aatcccagca ctttgggaag ccaaagcggg tggatcacct 19500 gaggtcagga gttctagagc agcctgacca cgtggtgaaa ccccgtctct attaaaaata 19560 caaaatttag tcgggtgtgg tggcgtgtgc ctgtaatccc agttactcgg gaggctgagg 19620 caggagaatc acttgaactc aggaggcaga ggttgcagtg agccaagatc acagcactgc 19680 tccagcctgg gtgacagagc gagattctgt ctaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaacc aatataagtt 19740 cttagcagaa cctttaggga ttctaggaag tgaaaagagg tgagcacgac tgagcgccac 19800 ctgcagagac caccgccagt gacacttctg aaacctaggg gcatccccgg tggctctttc 19860 actccttctg tccaaccagg ggctctgcct gaaaatgcag cagcagctgc tcgcttcaca 19920 ccgggtccag ggcggcccca ccaacccagc cagcctcgct tttgcttgaa gtgttgaatg 19980 gccccaatcc tcctgcctta ctctttttgt tgaaaatgaa tcagaatctt gttgcttctc 20040 tgcttggaag ctcccagtgc ctcccctccc acctcgccat ccagctctgc tgccaacttg 20100 tcccttgagg ccgtctcata actgtgacta cagggttccc tgggaagttc atctgggggc 20160 acccggttag tttggctgaa gtccgttgac ccggttttgc attggctgtt ctgtcggcag 20220 ttgggagcag agatggtggt ctgccagctc cacgggtccg ggggtcctag gagtctccag 20280 agaatggtag agaaagtccg gacctcagct cactcatgtt gactgggtga cttcagccac 20340 tgcttgatcc ctgagggact aaggttcctc atggtctgta ttcagggccc tctgtgctct 20400 gcttccacaa ttgtggaact gaaacaatca tataagccgg gcgtggtggc gcacgcctct 20460 agtcccagct acaggaggcg gaggcagggg aatcttgaac ccgggaggcg gaggctgcag 20520 tgagccaaga ctgtgccact gcacttcagc ctgggcgaca gagcgagact ctgtctcaaa 20580 aaaaaaaaaa aagaaagaat cgtagagtca ctcagagggc agaggagtat cacaaagatc 20640 agatgagtta atatttgtga tttgtaaagt gcagagaatg gcacctggca ggaaaataac 20700 tcaaaggtag atgcccctcg ttctccatga cgctcatcag gtgaggctgg agggagccct 20760 gtgggaggct acaaggcctg gttctcactg gccttcctct cttgcccaca gagccctcaa 20820 ggtccatgga ggtgcccaga catctaggtg cagctcctcc ctggggcagg aaggtgggac 20880 ccgcaggtgg acccccccgc acgtggggct cctggcctca gcccagacag ccctgcctct 20940 ccccacagaa cagggtcccc gagctgtcct acctcggcat catctgtgtc tttgcctaca 21000 tcgcgggaca ttccattggg cccagtgagt acctgcacgc ctccctcgcc ccggccatcc 21060 tggtccattc ctgggcctga cacacagtca gtgctcgaca catatttgct gagtgaatgg 21120 acgtccttgg tccccgtgct cacgcagatc ccacacgttc ttagttctca gccttgatgg 21180 cactccaggc catgtgcatt cattcaacca gcgccagcca ggccagcgcc ccactgatca 21240 tctgtggctc ccaggggggc ccagactcag gtctggcacc caacaaggac atgagctttt 21300 gcagagaggg agcttatgcc agtcagacac ccctggggca ccttggttta catccacacc 21360 ctccagacac tcacttgagc ctccaagccc acagcacacc caaggctcaa ctgccttcta 21420 tccccgctga ctgccagcta cagtccctta ttacactgtc cccaatgtcc tgttgccagt 21480 ggcttcgggc ctccacctgg gcccacctgt tgggcagcct ctgagactcc agactccttc 21540 cctagtgtgt cctgagaatt gaacctcctt ctccctgcct gggaaaagac acccctgact 21600 gtgaagactc taataacatt ccctgaagaa tgttcatttt gaaagcactg tccataaacc 21660 aaaatgaagg tatttaattc attcaacatc cattggcgga atacctgttt acactgtgct 21720 gtgtcaggca catgaatgag accacatact tgtatttaag ggtatttaag aagtgggatt 21780 taggcctggc atggtggctc atgcctgtaa tcccaacatt ttgagaggtg gagggaggca 21840 ggctgttcac ttaaggtcag aagttcgaga ccagcctagc caacaaggtg aaactccgtt 21900 tctactaaaa atgcaaaaat tagccaggtg tgttggcggg cgcctgtagt cccagctact 21960 cgggaggctg aggcaggata atcacttgaa cccagaggtt gcagtaagcc aagatccacc 22020 actgcactcc aggctgggca agagagcaag actctgtcta aaaaataaag gggagcgggt 22080 ggggatttag agcaggacgc cttcccagtg tacctcaaac gtggaggcag cagaacctca 22140 aaggaaaagt gccagtgtgt gtagacctgg ccgggttcca agccgttctg cccccactgc 22200 ctgtgtgtca cctggagcaa gccatggtgc ttctccaaga acggggtgat caggtgtgcc 22260 ggcagacgcg aggtcagagc atgggctgat ctgacattca acttagacct aaggactatt 22320 ggctgctgtt gttgtggtgg acaggaggaa ggcaggacag atgacatccc tgccggcgtc 22380 cactttgggg tcagggccct ggagaagggg cccgggcccc aagtcactgg gctgcaggag 22440 tttgcacttg acatcccagc ttcattcagg ggctttgaat tcttctccat gtccatccag 22500 agagggagat cgggcctttt ctttttttcc ttcttttttt tttttttttt ttgagttgga 22560 gtctcactct gttgcccagg ctggagcgca acctccatct cccgagttca acagattatc 22620 ctgcttcagc ctcctgagta gctgggacta caggcacacg ccaccatgcc ggactaattt 22680 ttatattttt agtagagatg gggtttcatc atgttggcca ggccggtctc gaactcctga 22740 cctccagtga tctgtgagac cggacctttt caatgaggcc atttcaccac ctaagcgggg 22800 gtgggaagct tggaggagga gggacagaat cttcctcttt ctttgtgtaa agctacagat 22860 atctatatat gcaggaccta aacagacgca cagtattaaa atttcatggg agtggcgatt 22920 agggaacaaa aatggcttta gacattttag acaaggcttc ttaaggaagc gataatgaaa 22980 aacagttgtc caagaaggtg tagccctcag gccctgccat acccagatcc gccataggag 23040 ggcggcactt cccaagcgcg ggcggtctca agtcagagtg acgccagcgc aaaggaagct 23100 ctttcagaaa gctctgctgc ctgtgagctg gagcccactc actcctgctg ctcccacgaa 23160 gcttcccatc catttacttt ctgcaaacct tcatggagcg tcattggcct tgaagaagca 23220 gcaatggaaa ttcaattcca ggctctccaa ccagactttg caaagtggat ctttgcagct 23280 cctgctctga tcacgccctg gttttgtggg taaaggcagg gttcctttcc agtccccaat 23340 cccagctggt actcttgagg gtcctaggtc agaggctaga gtgggccgcg tcccgccagc 23400 cctgggggac acctgggtcc ttctccgccc cacccatcct gctctgccct ccaggtcctg 23460 tcccctcggt ggtgaggacc gagatcttcc tgcagtcctc ccggcgggca gctttcatgg 23520 tggacggggc agtgcactgg ctcaccaact tcatcatagg cttcctgttc ccatccatcc 23580 aggtgagtga gggccccttc cccaacccgc tccaccgggc ctccagggag taagatgtat 23640 tccccttccg ctaagcacat ctgtgaatcc agcaaggtgg ggacaggctc tcagacacat 23700 ccaagggtcc acagacacac gtggccccac tgcctgcaaa cccttgaaga caccggtttc 23760 tcagttactg aagggtgatc ccctgctgac attgtaaagg gctattgctt aggggctctg 23820 gtccgcggag ctcaaaggcg ccagcaaaca aagccagagc cagggtgcag atcccccacc 23880 gcttccttcc tctgttccga agacaagatg ggccacaaac tctgcgctct cagcaccttc 23940 agggcacaga ggccataaac ccctactgtc aaaaggttaa gcagtctttt tttttttttt 24000 ttagacaggg ccttgctctg tcacccaggc tggaatgcag tggtgcaacc acagctcata 24060 gcagccttga cctcccaggc ttaagtgatc ctcctacctc agcctcccaa gtcgctggga 24120 ccacaggcat gggccaccac acatggctat ttatttattt atgtatttta gggatggggt 24180 cttgctatat tgcccaggct ggtctcaaac ttcgaaagtg ctgggattat aggtgtgagc 24240 cacagcaccc aaccagattc tttttgataa tagggtgagg gggaatccaa tttctagctt 24300 tttttttttt tttcctgcaa acaatcttta gtgatcacag ttttctagct atatcattcc 24360 tccaggagtg aaacaaaact ggctgccaag caactccttt atggactcac aaaggcctcg 24420 accagcattg gttatttgtt gtttgttttg gggtttttgt ttttgttttt gtttttttga 24480 gacagtcacg ctctgttgcc caggctggag tgcagtagcg cgatcttggc tcactgcaac 24540 ctctacctcc tgggttcaag cgattctcct gcctcagact cccaagtagc tgggattaca 24600 ggtgtacacc accatgctca gctaattttt gtatttttaa tagagacagg gtttcatcat 24660 gttggccagg ttggtctcaa actcctgacc tcaggtgatc cacctgtctt ggcctcccaa 24720 agtgctggga ttacaggcat gagccaacgt gctcagctga atcagcactg ttgcctttct 24780 ctgccccctc gtgtctttct cgtctcctgg tctaggaggc catcggtgcc tacagtttca 24840 tcatctttgc cggaatctgc ctcctcactg cgatttacat ctacgtggtt attccggaga 24900 ccaagggcaa aacatttgtg gagataaacc gcatttttgc caagagaaac agggtgaagc 24960 ttccagagga gaaagaagaa accattgatg ctgggcctcc cacagcctct cctgccaagg 25020 aaacttcctt ttagtggccc tgcatgaagg acgggagccc atattcaagg cttccttcta 25080 tgacaatggg cctcccggcc ccaggctctg gggaggataa tagcacggag gcttttgtcg 25140 ttgcccccat ttaacttaat tatggatatt attaaatacc cacaacaatg catatttagc 25200 tgagaagttc caaggctagc cattgaggaa tgacctggag gaaggggccg gcacgtgaat 25260 tttgattggt taagactcga ttttccgatt ctacattggc accaaaattt aaatgatgta 25320 tagatgcact tttttaaagt aaaacttttc aagttccaca attgctatgg atacccgagc 25380 tgccgtcatt gcatcaatta aggagtccaa ggctctgaat gccattgcct tcctggcgac 25440 gtggcttcct ttctccaccc tgtggctgca ggttgcaccg tgaatcccag cctgcgtgcc 25500 cagctctgtc ctgtcgatca cagggtgaag ggggccagcc cctcgacacc tgtgggtatt 25560 tctcgtcagg tgggatgaga gactgaaaaa agaaataaga cacagagaca aagtatagag 25620 aaagaacagt gggcccaggg gaccggcgct cagcatacgg aggaccctca ccagtactgg 25680 tctctgagtt ccctcagtat ttattgatca ctatctctac tgtcttggtg agggggatgt 25740 ggcaggacta tagagtaatg gtggggagag ggtcagcagg aaaacatgtg agcaaaggct 25800 ctgtgtcata aataagttta aggaaaggtg ctgtgccttg atgtgcacat aggccagagt 25860 tatgtttgac tttacacaaa catctcagtg tagtaaagag cagtattgcc gccagcatgt 25920 ctcacctcca gtcataaggc agttttctcc tatctcagta aacagaacgt acgctcgggt 25980 tttataccga gacattccgt tcccagggac gagcaggaga cagatgcctt cctcttacct 26040 caattgcaaa gaggccttcc tctttcacta atcctcctcg gcacagaccc tttacgggtg 26100 tcgggctggg ggacggtcag gtctttcccc tcccacgagg ccatatctca ggccatctcc 26160 atggggggaa gccttagaca atacccaggc tttcttgggc agaggtccct gtggccttcc 26220 gcagtgcatt gtgtccctgg gtactcgaga atggcgatga cttttaccaa gcacactgcc 26280 tgcaaacaca tttttaacaa ggcgcatcct gcacagccct aagccattaa accttgagtc 26340 aacacagcac atgtttctgc gagcacaggg ttggggctag ggttacagat taacagcatc 26400 tcaaggcaga agaatttttc ttagtacaga acaaaatgga gtttcttctg tctacttctt 26460 tctacataga cacagtagca gtctgatctc tcattcttcc ccccacaaca ggggccacag 26520 gcaagggagt aagaccattc ccagtccact ctctctcctc ctctccctcc aatggggaag 26580 ttgatatctt ccttgaaaac aaggtgcagt gccgggcgtg gtgactcaca cctgtaaacc 26640 cagcactttg ggaggctgaa gcgagtagat cacctgagct caggagttcg agaccagcct 26700 gggcaacaca atgaaacccc gtctctactg aaaatacaaa aattggccag tgcggtcatg 26760 tgcgcctata gtcccagctg cttgggaggc tgaggcagga gaattgcttg agcccgagag 26820 gcagaggttg caatgagcca taatgccact gcattccagc ctgggtgaca gagtgagacc 26880 ctgtctaaaa aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaatag cacctgcatt caggcctgac catgtcactc 26940 cctgctggaa tcctaggctg attctatcac tcgagatgat aaggctggaa ccgtattgtc 27000 ataacgtggg tttcctgcca ccaccccaag tacttccaat cctctgtgcc tttctccctg 27060 gcgtgctttc atgtgccttc cctccaaacg atcacagccc tacccagcct tcaaaaccca 27120 gctcgaatga gcctgaagaa cctctcctgt cctgtccagc gggaggtcct ctcacctctg 27180 ggccctggaa tcaccgtgca tctttttcca ttggcatgct tgtcactttg catattaatt 27240 ataggtttac ctgttgccct gtagtgtcca aacttagtgg cttaaaacaa tgacagctat 27300 tgtgactcct ggttcctgtg ggtcaggaat tcagatagga ctcggtggga atggcttct 27359 4 472 PRT Human 4 Ser Leu Leu Val Ala Ser Leu Ala Gly Ala Phe Gly Ser Ser Phe Leu 1 5 10 15 Tyr Gly Tyr Asn Leu Ser Val Val Asn Ala Pro Thr Pro Tyr Ile Lys 20 25 30 Ala Phe Tyr Asn Glu Ser Trp Glu Arg Arg His Gly Arg Pro Ile Asp 35 40 45 Pro Asp Thr Leu Thr Leu Leu Trp Ser Val Thr Val Ser Ile Phe Ala 50 55 60 Ile Gly Gly Leu Val Gly Thr Leu Ile Val Lys Met Ile Gly Lys Val 65 70 75 80 Leu Gly Arg Lys His Thr Leu Leu Ala Asn Asn Gly Phe Ala Ile Ser 85 90 95 Ala Ala Leu Leu Met Ala Cys Ser Leu Gln Ala Gly Ala Phe Glu Met 100 105 110 Leu Ile Val Gly Arg Phe Ile Met Gly Ile Asp Gly Gly Val Ala Leu 115 120 125 Ser Val Leu Pro Met Tyr Leu Ser Glu Ile Ser Pro Lys Glu Ile Arg 130 135 140 Gly Ser Leu Gly Gln Val Thr Ala Ile Phe Ile Cys Ile Gly Val Phe 145 150 155 160 Thr Gly Gln Leu Leu Gly Leu Pro Glu Leu Leu Gly Lys Glu Ser Thr 165 170 175 Trp Pro Tyr Leu Phe Gly Val Ile Val Val Pro Ala Val Val Gln Leu 180 185 190 Leu Ser Leu Pro Phe Leu Pro Asp Ser Pro Arg Tyr Leu Leu Leu Glu 195 200 205 Lys His Asn Glu Ala Arg Ala Val Lys Ala Phe Gln Thr Phe Leu Gly 210 215 220 Lys Ala Asp Val Ser Gln Glu Val Glu Glu Val Leu Ala Glu Ser Arg 225 230 235 240 Val Gln Arg Ser Ile Arg Leu Val Ser Val Leu Glu Leu Leu Arg Ala 245 250 255 Pro Tyr Val Arg Trp Gln Val Val Thr Val Ile Val Thr Met Ala Cys 260 265 270 Tyr Gln Leu Cys Gly Leu Asn Ala Ile Trp Phe Tyr Thr Asn Ser Ile 275 280 285 Phe Gly Lys Ala Gly Ile Pro Leu Ala Lys Ile Pro Tyr Val Thr Leu 290 295 300 Ser Thr Gly Gly Ile Glu Thr Leu Ala Ala Val Phe Ser Gly Leu Val 305 310 315 320 Ile Glu His Leu Gly Arg Arg Pro Leu Leu Ile Gly Gly Phe Gly Leu 325 330 335 Met Gly Leu Phe Phe Gly Thr Leu Thr Ile Thr Leu Thr Leu Gln Asp 340 345 350 His Ala Pro Trp Val Pro Tyr Leu Ser Ile Val Gly Ile Leu Ala Ile 355 360 365 Ile Ala Ser Phe Cys Ser Gly Pro Gly Gly Ile Pro Phe Ile Leu Thr 370 375 380 Gly Glu Phe Phe Gln Gln Ser Gln Arg Pro Ala Ala Phe Ile Ile Ala 385 390 395 400 Gly Thr Val Asn Trp Leu Ser Asn Phe Ala Val Gly Leu Leu Phe Pro 405 410 415 Phe Ile Gln Lys Ser Leu Asp Thr Tyr Cys Phe Leu Val Phe Ala Thr 420 425 430 Ile Cys Ile Thr Gly Ala Ile Tyr Leu Tyr Phe Val Leu Pro Glu Thr 435 440 445 Lys Asn Arg Thr Tyr Ala Glu Ile Ser Gln Ala Phe Ser Lys Arg Asn 450 455 460 Lys Ala Tyr Pro Pro Glu Glu Lys 465 470 

That which is claimed is:
 1. An isolated peptide consisting of an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2; (b) an amino acid sequence of an allelic variant of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said allelic variant is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; (c) an amino acid sequence of an ortholog of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said ortholog is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; and (d) a fragment of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said fragment comprises at least 10 contiguous amino acids.
 2. An isolated peptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2; (b) an amino acid sequence of an allelic variant of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said allelic variant is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; (c) an amino acid sequence of an ortholog of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said ortholog is encoded by a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; and (d) a fragment of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said fragment comprises at least 10 contiguous amino acids.
 3. An isolated antibody that selectively binds to a peptide of claim
 2. 4. An isolated nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) a nucleotide sequence that encodes an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2; (b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes of an allelic variant of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; (c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes an ortholog of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; (d) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a fragment of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said fragment comprises at least 10 contiguous amino acids; and (e) a nucleotide sequence that is the complement of a nucleotide sequence of (a)-(d).
 5. An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) a nucleotide sequence that encodes an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2; (b) a nucleotide sequence that encodes of an allelic variant of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; (c) a nucleotide sequence that encodes an ortholog of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said nucleotide sequence hybridizes under stringent conditions to the opposite strand of a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or 3; (d) a nucleotide sequence that encodes a fragment of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2, wherein said fragment comprises at least 10 contiguous amino acids; and (e) a nucleotide sequence that is the complement of a nucleotide sequence of (a)-(d).
 6. A gene chip comprising a nucleic acid molecule of claim
 5. 7. A transgenic non-human animal comprising a nucleic acid molecule of claim
 5. 8. A nucleic acid vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule of claim
 5. 9. A host cell containing the vector of claim
 8. 10. A method for producing any of the peptides of claim 1 comprising introducing a nucleotide sequence encoding any of the amino acid sequences in (a)-(d) into a host cell, and culturing the host cell under conditions in which the peptides are expressed from the nucleotide sequence.
 11. A method for producing any of the peptides of claim 2 comprising introducing a nucleotide sequence encoding any of the amino acid sequences in (a)-(d) into a host cell, and culturing the host cell under conditions in which the peptides are expressed from the nucleotide sequence.
 12. A method for detecting the presence of any of the peptides of claim 2 in a sample, said method comprising contacting said sample with a detection agent that specifically allows detection of the presence of the peptide in the sample and then detecting the presence of the peptide.
 13. A method for detecting the presence of a nucleic acid molecule of claim 5 in a sample, said method comprising contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide that hybridizes to said nucleic acid molecule under stringent conditions and determining whether the oligonucleotide binds to said nucleic acid molecule in the sample.
 14. A method for identifying a modulator of a peptide of claim 2, said method comprising contacting said peptide with an agent and determining if said agent has modulated the function or activity of said peptide.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said agent is administered to a host cell comprising an expression vector that expresses said peptide.
 16. A method for identifying an agent that binds to any of the peptides of claim 2, said method comprising contacting the peptide with an agent and assaying the contacted mixture to determine whether a complex is formed with the agent bound to the peptide.
 17. A pharmaceutical composition comprising an agent identified by the method of claim 16 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.
 18. A method for treating a disease or condition mediated by a human transporter protein, said method comprising administering to a patient a pharmaceutically effective amount of an agent identified by the method of claim
 16. 19. A method for identifying a modulator of the expression of a peptide of claim 2, said method comprising contacting a cell expressing said peptide with an agent, and determining if said agent has modulated the expression of said peptide.
 20. An isolated human transporter peptide having an amino acid sequence that shares at least 70% homology with an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.
 21. A peptide according to claim 20 that shares at least 90 percent homology with an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:2.
 22. An isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a human transporter peptide, said nucleic acid molecule sharing at least 80 percent homology with a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or
 3. 23. A nucleic acid molecule according to claim 22 that shares at least 90 percent homology with a nucleic acid molecule shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 or
 3. 